NCJ Number
61703
Date Published
1977
Length
59 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A 1977 THROUGH 1978 SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE MONTANA BOARD OF CRIME CONTROL TO DETERMINE PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD MONTANA'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
SURVEY QUESTIONS RELATED TO FOUR AREAS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT, CORRECTIONS, THE COURTS, AND GENERAL ISSUES, I.E., CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND GUN CONTROL. THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES PROVIDED A LIST OF 7,000 ADDRESSES. AFTER DELETING UNDELIVERABLE ADDRESSES, 5,792 ADDRESSES REMAINED FOR 1,448 MAILINGS PER QUESTIONNAIRE CATEGORY. THE RESPONSE RATE WAS 33.4 PERCENT OF TOTAL MAILOUTS, EXCEEDING THE 25 PERCENT EXPECTATION. IN ADDITION TO THE QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, EACH QUESTIONNAIRE CONTAINED 11 QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF RESPONDENTS SUCH AS AGE, SEX, AND RACE. FOR THE MAJORITY OF QUESTIONS, POSSIBLE RESPONSES TO STATEMENTS WERE 'STRONGLY AGREE, AGREE, NO OPINION, DISAGREE, AND STRONGLY DISAGREE.' IN GENERAL; MONTANANS SEEMED SATISFIED WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. EVEN AMONG THOSE RESPONDENTS WHO WERE CRITICAL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT GENERALLY, RESPONSES FAVORABLE TO THE POLICE WERE INDICATED. ABOUT 82 PERCENT FELT SAFE IN THE COMMUNITY AT NIGHT. APPROXIMATELY 24 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS KNEW OR GUESSED THE COST OF KEEPING A PRISONER IN THE MONTANA STATE PRISON; ONLY 13.9 PERCENT FAVORED GREATER EXPENDITURE FOR PRISONERS. WITH REGARD TO THE COURTS, MONTANANS OVERWHELMINGLY RESPONDED THAT THEY BELIEVED BOTH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES TAKE TOO LONG TO COME TO TRIAL. THE PERCEPTION OF SLOWNESS DID NOT DIFFER BETWEEN THOSE WHO HAD HAD CONTACT WITH THE COURTS AND THOSE WHO HAD NOT. A UNIFORM DESIRE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURTS WAS INDICATED. IN GENERAL, MONTANANS SHOWED A CONSERVATIVE BENT PHILOSOPHICALLY; THEY FAVOR MORE SEVERE SENTENCES, ARE AGAINST GUN CONTROL, AND FAVOR THE DEATH PENALTY. TABULAR STATISTICAL DATA IS PROVIDED IN THE SURVEY. (LWM)