NCJ Number
139604
Date Published
1987
Length
36 pages
Annotation
A sample of 1,060 Ohio residents was surveyed to determine public attitudes about crime and justice. The fifth in a series of surveys, this report focuses on citizen attitudes toward juvenile crime and justice, juvenile gangs, child abuse, the crime role of homeless persons, and juvenile sentencing trends.
Abstract
The survey responses are analyzed in four chapters covering fear of crime, citizen awareness of crime and criminal justice, juvenile crime in Ohio, and attitudes about juvenile crime. The findings showed that Ohio residents felt more intimidated by juvenile gang activity in their neighborhood than by other types of local crime or by reports of increases in the nation's serious crime rate. Many respondents believed that juvenile offenders received lighter sentences than adults convicted of similar crimes. Most respondents cited drug involvement, alcohol, dropping out of school, gang membership, and TV violence as major causes of juvenile delinquency. Most respondents felt that rehabilitation should be the primary correctional goal for first time and property juvenile offenders. The public did not perceive homeless persons as a crime problem. Households with teenagers did not differ significantly from those without teenagers regarding attitudes toward juvenile crime and justice.