Journal article
Russians and the legal system: Mass views and behaviour in the 1990s
Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics, Vol.13(3), pp.24-55
09/01/1997
DOI: 10.1080/13523279708415352
Abstract
Whether the Russian judiciary grows more or less effective will depend on how Russians behave within and towards legal institutions. Surveys of Russians' views towards the legal system at the end of the Soviet period and in the early post-Soviet years reveal much concern about the state of legality in the country and little familiarity with legal institutions and authorities. In each of three years, over half of the respondents believed that violating suspects' rights is justifiable in the fight against crime. Although this level seems troubling, it is lower than that found among Lithuanians in a comparable sample (despite less concern about crime in their society) and it is quite close to the proportion of Americans taking the same position. Also, a much smaller proportion of Russians takes an anti-legalistic stance in response to a question that does not mention crime. Hence, the Russian mass public is not, comparatively speaking, hostile to the rule of law. Furthermore, the variation among Russians' views of the legal system and their commitment to legality is large and important. The least commitment to the strict following of legal procedures is found among older rural Russians opposed to market reforms; younger, urban and ethnically non-Russian citizens who support market reforms are sharply more committed to legal procedures.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Russians and the legal system: Mass views and behaviour in the 1990s
- Creators
- William M Reisinger - Department of Political Science , University of IowaArthur H Miller - Department of Political Science , University of IowaVicki L Hesli - Department of Political Science , University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics, Vol.13(3), pp.24-55
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis Group
- DOI
- 10.1080/13523279708415352
- ISSN
- 1352-3279
- eISSN
- 1743-9116
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/01/1997
- Academic Unit
- International Programs; Political Science
- Record Identifier
- 9983920520602771
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