Criminal Justice in the Perception of the Albanian Public: An Analysis of Attitudes toward Punishment, Rehabilitation, and Social Security

Abstract

The effectiveness of a criminal justice system depends not only on the existence of legal rules and institutional structures, but also on the way citizens understand and evaluate punishment, security measures, and the treatment of persons who have committed criminal offences. Public perception represents an important dimension of criminal justice because it influences the legitimacy of institutions and the level of social acceptance of judicial decisions. This study examines the attitudes of Albanian citizens regarding criminal sanctions, security measures, the effectiveness of punishment, and the role of rehabilitation within the criminal justice system.

The research was conducted through a quantitative empirical approach based on a structured questionnaire completed by 270 Albanian citizens. The questionnaire explored several aspects related to criminal justice perceptions, including attitudes toward the use of security chains, the need for harsher punishments, confidence in the preventive effect of criminal sanctions, and support for rehabilitation programmes and alternatives to imprisonment.

The results indicate that Albanian citizens do not generally support the routine use of security chains, with 91.1% of respondents considering this practice inappropriate unless justified by specific circumstances. At the same time, the findings show a relatively low level of confidence in the ability of criminal punishment alone to prevent crime, while a considerable number of participants expressed support for rehabilitation programmes and alternative sanctions. The small group supporting the use of security chains was mainly composed of respondents with higher education and professional connections to the justice system, suggesting differences between institutional perspectives and general social perceptions.

The findings indicate that public opinion in Albania is moving toward a more balanced understanding of criminal justice, where public security is considered important but should be combined with proportionality, human dignity, rehabilitation, and social reintegration. The study contributes to the discussion on criminal policy development in Albania by highlighting the relationship between citizens’ perceptions, human rights standards, and contemporary approaches to sentence execution