Examining Public Opinion About Crime and Justice: A Statewide Study

• NCJ Number: 206853
• Journal: Criminal Justice Policy Review Volume: 15 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2004 Pages: 270-293
• Author(s): Barbara Sims; Eric Johnston
• Date Published: September 2004
• Length: 24 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper reports on findings from the 2001 Penn State Poll, which was a random telephone survey of Pennsylvanians 18 years old or older to determine their attitudes toward and perceptions of such issues as fear of crime, capital punishment, the most important goal of imprisonment, and where they would most like to see their tax dollars spent for criminal justice.

Abstract

Not even half of the respondents reported that they worry about becoming a victim of assault, murder, robbery, rape, or burglary, and the degree to which respondents worried about crime did not apparently influence their attitudes toward crime and punishment. Sixty-six percent of respondents indicated they favor the death penalty for persons convicted of murder, with 20 percent opposing the death penalty, and 12 percent reporting they were unsure about their position. Females were less likely to favor the death penalty, and Whites were more likely to favor the death penalty than Blacks. Hispanics were more likely to favor the death penalty than non-Hispanics, and older respondents were more likely than younger respondents to favor the death penalty. These findings are similar to those reported in surveys in other regions of the country. Regarding the most important goal of prison, 42 percent of respondents chose rehabilitation over retribution (just desserts, 11 percent), deterrence (20 percent), or incapacitation (20 percent). This differs significantly from the results of a 1995 national study that found only 21 percent of Americans chose rehabilitation as the most important goal of prison. The findings of the current survey could indicate that the public in general is moving away from a more conservative and punitive approach to crime control. When asked to choose between spending their tax dollars on prison construction or early intervention programs, 81 percent of respondents chose early intervention programs. Overall, the findings suggest that the public is not as punitive as is sometimes believed by legislators and policymakers. 7 tables, 6 notes, and 30 references