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Outsiders in Rural Courts: A Victorian Study

Outsiders in Rural Courts: A Victorian Study AUST & NZ JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY (December 1987) 20 (269-285) 269 Roger Douglas* Introduction In a recent study, Austin (1985) argued that outsiders tend to receive harsher treatment by the judicial system than do local defendants. Local offenders are likely to be a known quantity and are unlikely to be perceived as a threat to the community. Outsiders, on the other hand, are less likely to be seen as sharing community values, and are likely to be seen as more threatening. In rural areas, the boundaries between locals and outsiders are likely to be even more sharply drawn and more salient than is the case in urban areas (see eg Cain, 1973: ch 4). In particular, residents of small rural communities are likely to feel wary of residents of large cities, who are unlikely to be seen as possessing the virtues associated with rural life, and whose crimes may be interpreted accordingly (see, eg Dinitz, 1973: Dempsey, 1984). Moreover, pressures to conform to local norms appear to be more intense in rural than in urban areas (see, eg Cain, 1973: ch 4). If outsider status is relevant to outcome, one would therefore expect that it would be particularly relevant http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology SAGE

Outsiders in Rural Courts: A Victorian Study

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References (8)

Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
© The Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology and Authors, 1987
ISSN
0004-8658
eISSN
1837-9273
DOI
10.1177/000486588702000405
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

AUST & NZ JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY (December 1987) 20 (269-285) 269 Roger Douglas* Introduction In a recent study, Austin (1985) argued that outsiders tend to receive harsher treatment by the judicial system than do local defendants. Local offenders are likely to be a known quantity and are unlikely to be perceived as a threat to the community. Outsiders, on the other hand, are less likely to be seen as sharing community values, and are likely to be seen as more threatening. In rural areas, the boundaries between locals and outsiders are likely to be even more sharply drawn and more salient than is the case in urban areas (see eg Cain, 1973: ch 4). In particular, residents of small rural communities are likely to feel wary of residents of large cities, who are unlikely to be seen as possessing the virtues associated with rural life, and whose crimes may be interpreted accordingly (see, eg Dinitz, 1973: Dempsey, 1984). Moreover, pressures to conform to local norms appear to be more intense in rural than in urban areas (see, eg Cain, 1973: ch 4). If outsider status is relevant to outcome, one would therefore expect that it would be particularly relevant

Journal

Australian & New Zealand Journal of CriminologySAGE

Published: Dec 1, 1987

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