The Role of Moral Panic in Motivating Public Support for Punitive Drug Sentencing

Feelings of social and moral outrage, including moral panic, toward those who commit drug crimes have been speculated as a key reason why some Americans have continued to support punitive sentencing approaches for drug offenses, even when faced with evidence that punitive drug sentencing laws have not achieved meaningful reductions in recidivism or use of illegal drugs. As such, examining how feelings of moral panic may underlie support for punitive sentencing should help us better understand the roots of public outrage toward these types of offenses, as well as how to best promote public support for evidence-based policies in sentencing reform efforts. Drawing from this background, this study uses a national sample of U.S. adults ( N = 1,569) to examine if and how public feelings of moral panic (concern, hostility, consensus, disproportionality, volatility) toward different drug crimes motivate public support for harsher sentencing practices. Mediation results suggest that participants showing more support for harsh punishment and sentencing strategies for serious trafficking of serious drugs were motivated by heightened feelings of concern, hostility, and volatility. Further, participants showing less support for harsh punishment, as well as the use of mandatory minimums and truth-in-sentencing laws, for marijuana possession were motivated by fewer feelings of concern, hostility, consensus, volatility, and disproportionality. Similarly, participants showing less support for harsh punishment, as well as the use of mandatory minimums and truth-in-sentencing laws, for minor trafficking of marijuana were motivated by fewer feelings of concern, hostility, and volatility. Respondents also reported significantly fewer feelings of concern, hostility, and consensus toward opioid possession. This study suggests that moral panic helps shape public support for harsh sentencing strategies for certain drug crimes, and this has implications for understanding and addressing support for such policies.