The racial animus model argues that public support for punitive sentencing of criminal offenders is shaped by threat perceptions associated with cultural minority groups. This study applies the racial animus model to examine support for the punitive sentencing of criminal offenders in the United States and Australia. It also examines whether racial animus mediates the possible difference in punitive attitudes between each country toward different crime types. Online survey data were obtained in the US and Australia to assess racial animus and punitive attitudes using six different crime scenarios. Results indicate that (a) individuals with higher levels of racial animus demonstrate greater levels of punitiveness; (b) Australians have higher levels of racial animus as compared to their US counterparts; and (c) racial animus mediates the difference of punitive attitudes between the two countries. Overall, punitive attitudes and racial animus vary cross-culturally, with Australians demonstrating more racial animus. Our mediation model provides evidence for the importance of racial animus in the cross-cultural demand for the punishment of criminal offenders.

种族敌意模型认为，公众对刑事罪犯惩罚性判决的支持是由与文化少数群体相关的威胁感知形成的。本研究应用种族敌意模型来检查对美国和澳大利亚刑事罪犯惩罚性判决的支持。它还研究了种族敌意是否会调节每个国家对不同犯罪类型的惩罚态度可能存在的差异。在美国和澳大利亚获得了在线调查数据，以使用六种不同的犯罪场景评估种族仇恨和惩罚态度。结果表明（a）种族敌意水平较高的个体表现出更高水平的惩罚性；(b) 与美国同行相比，澳大利亚人的种族仇恨程度更高；(c) 种族敌意调解了两国之间惩罚态度的差异。总体而言，惩罚态度和种族敌意因跨文化而异，澳大利亚人表现出更多的种族敌意。我们的调解模型为种族敌意在惩罚刑事犯罪者的跨文化需求中的重要性提供了证据。