NCJ Number
108121
Journal
Criminal Justice Policy Review Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: (October 1986) Pages: 253-267
Date Published
1986
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article examines the relationship between the crime-control attitudes expressed by Illinois State legislators and their personal characteristics, their political and constituency characteristics, and their contact with the criminal justice system.
Abstract
A survey distributed to 236 members of the Illinois legislature yielded 101 usable responses. The questionnaires solicited legislators' opinions on crime causation and criminal justice policies. A factor analysis technique used three scales that favored conservative, liberal, and rehabilitative policies. Being female and having a higher education were negatively related to espousing conservative opinions on crime control. Legislators who perceived their constituents as concerned about crime were less likely to be liberal but not necessarily more likely to be conservative. Given that the areas most affected by crime were urban with high minority populations, legislators representing these areas were not strongly conservative. They were concerned about crime but were less likely to favor harsh criminal penalties. Legislators advocating harsh criminal sanctions did not represent the districts most affected by crime. Legislators having the most contact with the corrections system were less likely to advocate harsh criminal sanctions. 4 tables, 5 notes, and 33-item bibliography. (Author abstract modified)