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Religiosity, Delinquency, And The Deterrent Effects Of Informal Sanctions, Andrew L. Spivak, Miyuki Fukushima, Margaret S. Kelley, Tiffany Sanford Jenson

Sociology & Criminology Faculty Publications

Past research in deterrence theory suggests that informal social sanctions intervene in the effect of religiosity on criminal and delinquent behavior, such that more religious individuals tend to perceive stronger informal sanctions (Grasmick, Bursik and Cochran 1991a; Grasmick, Kinsey and Cochran 1991b). This study examines the influence of religiosity and social deterrence on college students' delinquent behavior, as measured by anticipated violation of a university's alcohol policy. Data were collected through a survey of undergraduate students (n = 484) at a large South-Midwestern public university that instituted a campus alcohol ban. The survey took place three months after the ban …