Public knowledge and attitudes of the Maltese residents towards crime and punishments

Abstract

This research aims to grasp more information about the knowledge of Maltese residents towards community based alternatives and their attitudes towards punishment. A quantitative approach was the sole method of acquisition of data. Participants were contacted by telephone and the researcher compiled a questionnaire for each and every respondent. In all 304 participants from Malta and Gozo were questioned via telephone and the results are discussed. The hypothesis focused mainly on the knowledge that Maltese residents have about community based alternatives and their attitudes towards punishments, mainly those awarded recently by the criminal courts of Malta. Results showed that the participants were informed about the community sanctions available in Malta. As regards their attitudes towards punishment, the participants made a distinction from a case to another. Respondents demanded very harsh punishments for violent offences but preferred punishments which included a sense of retribution for non-violent offences. The researcher thus concluded that informing people about the benefits of community based alternatives as punishments instead of imprisonment for non-violent crimes would break a chain reaction that limits the chances of rehabilitation for the offender. If people are aware about the level of surveillance imposed and the consequences for the offender if the community based sanction is breached, people would be more confident in offenders thus offering them more help together with chances of employment. In return this would decrease the offender's chances of re-offending.