Content uploaded by Sung Joon Jang
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Sung Joon Jang on Apr 24, 2014
Content may be subject to copyright.
A preview of the PDF is not available
Crime and Religion: Assessing the Role of the Faith Factor
Abstract
The paper traces the role of religion in contemporary criminology as well as reviewing the development of scholarly interest in religion within the field of criminology. We begin with a systematic review of 270 published studies in order to better understand the state of the literature examining the relationship between religion and crime. Our systematic review provides support for the notion that religious involvement is a relevant protective and prosocial factor. We then discuss how various dimensions of religiousness may explain crime and delinquency (directly and indirectly) and contribute to criminological theories and research. Additionally, we offer several potentially fruitful avenues for research examining the efficacy of the “faith factor” in both reducing crime and promoting prosocial behavior. We conclude with methodological and theoretical recommendations designed to assist scholars interested in research on the role of religion within criminology as well as prosocial studies more generally.
... The authors found that across multiple studies and using various measures of religiosity, the latter consistently exhibited a significant, negative relationship with engagement in various criminal behaviors. Another even more recent analysis of the religiosity-crime literature that looked at 270 articles published between 1944 and 2010 found similar results, with more than 90% of the articles showing that religiosity was a deterrent against crime and other antisocial behaviors (Johnson and Jang, 2010). Most of the research conducted thus far has generally indicated that religion exerts a protective effect against crime, with some disagreement arising regarding the specific circumstances (e.g., when and how) in which religion serves as a protective factor against deviant behavior. ...
According to the literature, religious commitment could be a protective factor against dangerous behaviors, such as criminal offending, unsafe sex, and substance use. Our study aims to investigate the influence of Family Religiosity and climate on anger dysregulation and deviance propensity in a sample of 214 justice-involved boys from Italian Youth Detention Centers (range 14–25). The sample was divided into religious (n = 102) and non-religious (n = 112) justice-involved juveniles. Participants filled in the following questionnaires: Deviant Behavior Questionnaire, Aggression Questionnaire, Family Communication Scale, Moral Disengagement Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. We used a partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS_SEM) method to build our model and we found that Family Religiosity was positively associated with Family Climate which was negatively associated with Anger Dysregulation and Deviance Propensity, and Anger Dysregulation was positively related to Deviance Propensity. The multigroup analysis confirmed that for justice-involved juveniles who interiorized religious discipline and beliefs, Family Religiosity showed a positive association with Family Climate, which had a negative relationship with Anger Dysregulation, which strongly predicted Deviance Propensity. This result could be useful to promote new development goals and preventive activities and interventions based on positive religiosity values in juveniles’ behavior.
... Despite the profound impact of religion on human behavior, psychology has yet to provide a comprehensive understanding of religion, and the quality of research is often insufficient. To further highlight its importance, religion consistently shares a negative correlation with infidelity [9, 10, 11], illegal drug usage [12,13,14] and criminal behaviours [15,16,17]. Therefore, a psychological analysis of an individual cannot be considered complete, unless it includes information on their religious beliefs and how it affects their behavior. ...
This study examines the discourses constructed around religion in Greek society, focusing on the transition from conservative religious beliefs prevailing in micro societies to a more accepting discourse at the macro societal level. The research employs a qualitative approach, specifically utilizing Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (FDA) on 7 interviews of young Greek adults, to explore the evolving landscape in Greece and the power dynamics of religion influenced by education, social interaction, and relevant discourses, resulting in a diminished influence of religion over time. The findings reveal the presence of tolerance towards religious diversity, challenging the traditional conservative discourse, which is characterized by strict adherence to Orthodox religious practices and resistance to religious pluralism, while also highlighting the declining power of religion. The study demonstrates how individuals aligning with the acceptive discourse value their own religious beliefs while fostering coexistence with individuals of different religious groups, without being heavily influenced by the church. Notably, younger generations, shaped by an era emphasizing social interaction, exhibit a stronger alignment with this discourse. By illuminating the shaping of identities and orienting actions within these discourses, this research contributes to the understanding of religion in Greek society. It underscores the significance of religion as a subject warranting ongoing scholarly attention and highlights the need for future research to explore the complexities of religious beliefs and discourses across the country using varied methodological approaches.
... Laub et al. (1998) and Warr (1998) argued that marriage is a social bond that may encourage desistence from crime. Johnson and Jang (2012) identified religion as a factor for desistence from crime. Goldman (1970) and Steffensmeier and Ulmer (2005) identified sports and hobbies as potential factors for the trajectory away from crime. ...
The United States is undergoing a demographic transition in which the proportion of individuals aged 65 years and above in total population is increasing. The age-crime relationship is a well-tested theory in criminology. A commonly accepted theory that has been unanimously supported by empirical evidence is that the propensity to commit crime decreases with age. But recent data from the FBI depicts an increase in crimes committed by the elderly. Notwithstanding the increasing trend in arrests among the elderly, we test the hypothesis that population ageing decreases total crime rates, violent crime rates, property crime rates, and their six sub-categories, namely, murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. We control for expenditures on police force (% of GDP), income inequality, national income, unemployment rate, poverty rate, and population density. The multiple break test, the bounds testing approach to cointegration analysis, and causality analysis are applied. The long-run results reject the hypothesis. Population ageing is found to increase crime rates in the United States. The results further indicate a positive correlation between population ageing and share of crimes committed by the elderly in total crimes in the United States.
In order to maintain social control and order, several authors perceive religion to be a significant aspect of societal life (Akhverdiev & Ponomarev 2008:1; Stark & Bainbridge 2012:1; Welch, Tittle, & Grasmick 2006:1605). The right to religious practice is considered vital in almost all societies. There is a body of research that suggests that a decline in religious conformity erodes the moral fabric of society and hence perceives its decline to contribute to social degeneration leaving society in a state of disarray (Nwube & Edigbo 2023; Ezeonwumelu 2021; Sekhaulelo 2021; Dick, Ede, & Chiaghanam 2020; Nikolova 2018). A deviation from religious norms and values at an individual level is known to result in anomic behavior ensuing conflict with the law. On the contrary, religious fundamentalism is also known to be contributing to hostility, violence, lawlessness, harmful behavior, and social instability (Gorur & Gregory 2021; Wright & Khoo 2019; Sulaiman 2016; VanAernum 2014). It is in this context that this article reviews religious practices and beliefs among male offenders and its role in rehabilitating their deviant behavior so that they may self-actualize to become good citizens upon release in the South African society. Notwithstanding, the study provides very little support on the notion that correctional centers' inspired faith-based programs indeed impact prosocial behavior as offenders engage with their respective religious belief systems as individuals. This finding refutes the notion contained in the literature study that avers that correctional centers' inspired faith-based programs do in fact yield prosocial behavior.
A natureza complexa da criminalidade, envolvendo vítima-criminoso, autoridades públicas e efeitos em nível individual, familiar, comunitário e ecológico, abriu espaço a uma diversidade de explicações para as diferenças nas taxas de crimes entre diferentes regiões e distintos períodos temporais. A Teoria da Desorganização Social vincula elevada criminalidade a comunidades socialmente desorganizadas (em níveis familiar, pessoal, comunitário, econômico). A busca de combinações de condições causais como necessárias/suficientes para altas taxas de crime, via abordagem configuracional, subsidiaria o debate público a respeito do desenho de políticas criminais preventivas territorial e temporalmente diferenciadas. Empregando-se a Abordagem Qualitativa Comparativa, propõe-se identificar e explorar a causação complexa de níveis de policiamento e desorganização econômica-sociodemográfica para alto homicídio. Evidencia-se que os municípios brasileiros têm uma diversidade limitada de caminhos consistentes para alto homicídio; que “altas desorganizações familiar e pessoal” se mostram recorrentemente necessárias para alto homicídio, mas “alta desorganização econômica” e desequilíbrio demográfico, não necessariamente.
For too long, criminology has been constrained by secular rationalist thought, neglecting the profound insights found in spiritual traditions that have guided humanity for millennia. This chapter explores the intersection of religion, spirituality, and criminology, drawing from diverse philosophical perspectives and Jewish scriptures. It navigates the complexity of human behavior, addressing themes such as free will, punishment, and rehabilitation within a faith-based context. Through an interdisciplinary lens, the chapter advocates for a holistic approach to understanding and addressing criminality, emphasizing compassion, mercy, and the pursuit of divine virtues in fostering individual transformation and societal reintegration. Key topics include the multifaceted nature of criminal behavior, the transformative impact of faith-based interventions on rehabilitation, and the potential contribution of ancient wisdom to contemporary criminological theories. By integrating insights from Jewish scriptures and philosophical discourse, this chapter enriches criminological scholarship and informs innovative interventions aimed at fostering societal well-being and rehabilitation.
The study aimed to reveal the effectiveness of a proposed enrichment program considering the dimensions of community security in enhancing security awareness among tenth grade students in the Sultanate of Oman and their attitudes towards it. The researchers used the quasi-experimental method. They designed the enrichment program, a measure of security awareness, and a measure of students' attitudes. After verifying the validity and reliability of them, they applied them to the study sample. Then, statistical processors were performed. The results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the post application of the security awareness measure, in favor of the experimental group. Also, there were statistically significant differences between the pre and post application of the experimental group in favor of the post application. This means that the enrichment program is effective in enhancing security awareness among the students of the experimental group. The results also showed an increase in the attitudes of the experimental group students towards the enrichment program. Considering that, the study recommended benefiting from what was included in the enrichment program in developing Islamic education curricula and enhancing them in terms of community security and, in addition, benefiting from the program in enhancing security awareness among tenth grade students.
Researchers suggest an inverse relationship between criminal behaviors and a number of social bonds, including religiosity, but few studies have examined religiosity’s impact among adults, especially those known to have committed serious crimes. Utilizing survey data from a large sample of men and women incarcerated for felonies in a southwestern correctional system, we estimated a series of regressions examining the relationship between religiosity and intentions to drive drunk, controlling for a number of other social and self-control measures. We also explored possible race and sex differences in these relationships. Results support the negative relationship between religiosity and crime; and indicate that this significant relationship is similar among men and women, and also among White and African American individuals.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.