NCJ Number
179926
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 23 Issue: 2 Dated: Autumn 1998 Pages: 139-160
Date Published
1998
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This study used the theory of presidential influence over public opinion to predict the impact of presidential rhetoric on the public's concern for crime as the most important problem facing the country, using a time-series regression analysis of data from the Public Papers of the President of the United States and from the Gallup poll.
Abstract
The research used a content index on presidential speeches and letters from 1945 through 1994. The Gallup data on the most important problem covered the years 1945-94. The analysis controlled for crime rates, unemployment rates, and media influence; the analysis used the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature to assess national media coverage of crime over the time series involved. Results revealed that presidential attention to crime influenced the public's perception that crime is an important issue. Findings suggested that presidents may participate in the inflation of public fear of crime, such as has happened throughout the 1990's, even at a time when official crime rates are declining across the country. In addition, presidents may be engaging in legislation that is strong in symbolism and weak in substantive action, thus creating poor criminal justice policy for the country. Finally, Federal spending has become highly focused on street crime at the expense of white-collar or computer crimes even when rates of street crimes are declining; politicians are allocating resources toward an issue that the public has come to deem a crisis by way of presidential rhetoric, at the expense of other social policies such as welfare and health care. Tables, figures, footnotes, and 101 references (Author abstract modified)