Public perceptions of offender dangerousness – Views of young adults in the UK

Much has been written about the fear of crime experienced by the public, but less is
understood about the public perceptions of what constitutes a dangerous offender.
This experimental study explores this issue using conjoint analysis -an innovative
methodological approach in criminology. Analysis using a random effects ordinal
logistic regression model allowed determination of those factors deemed by young
adults to be of relevance to the assessment and management of dangerous offenders.
The significant factors identified as relevant to perceptions of dangerousness and the
need to monitor such offenders closely were: schizophrenia, a previous history of a
sexual conviction, a violent conviction or robbery. The victim target group was also
relevant. Using the research methodologies described, it was possible to demonstrate
that in making these decisions, young adults are able to apply a systematic approach
to discriminate between a range of risk factors.