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The citizen approach against undermining : what motivates citizens to report suspicions of marijuana cultivations

Mensink, A.E. (2020) The citizen approach against undermining : what motivates citizens to report suspicions of marijuana cultivations.

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Abstract:Illegal marijuana cultivation is a form of undermining, which mostly happens as domestic cultivation with severe risks like water damage, poor air quality and house fires. The main goal of this study was to assess what psychological drivers influence the decision of citizens whether to report their suspicions of marijuana cultivations to authorities. A questionnaire based on the Community Engagement Theory was used to measure drivers at individual, community and institutional levels, which were expected to predict willingness to report. The convenience sample was gathered in a municipality in the eastern part of the Netherlands by sharing the questionnaire online via Social Media and local news websites. Results indicate that risk perception, response efficacy, sense of empowerment and drugs attitude were significant predictors for reporting. This means that if people perceive marijuana cultivations in their neighbourhood as risky, believe that reporting helps against these risks, believe that institutions act in the interest of citizens and hold a negative attitude towards people involved with several facets of marijuana cultivations, they are more willing to report. To increase reportings, it is necessary to increase awareness, give information about the reporting process and to work on the relation between law enforcement and citizens.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:70 social sciences in general, 77 psychology
Programme:Psychology MSc (66604)
Link to this item:http://purl.utwente.nl/essays/83691
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