NCJ Number
48231
Journal
Public Opinion Quarterly Volume: 41 Issue: 1 Dated: (WINTER 1978) Pages: 523-533
Date Published
1977
Length
11 pages
Annotation
PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS REGARDING THE CRIMINALLY INSANE AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE MEDIA ON THOSE PERCEPTIONS ARE ASSESSED IN AN ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM A SURVEY OF 447 HOUSEHOLDS IN ALBANY, N.Y.
Abstract
THE RESPONDENTS (N=413) COMPLETED A SERIES OF 14 BIPOLAR SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL ADJECTIVE ITEMS (E.G., BAD-GOOD, SAFE-DANGEROUS, HIGH SEX DRIVE-LOW SEX DRIVE) FOR THREE GROUPS: MOST PEOPLE, CRIMINALLY INSANE PATIENTS, AND MENTAL PATIENTS. SEVERAL QUESTIONS PROBED THE RESPONDENTS' LEVELS OF FEAR AND AVOIDANCE WITH RESPECT TO MENTAL PATIENTS AND THE CRIMINALLY INSANE. THE RESPONDENTS WERE ALSO ASKED WHETHER THEY COULD RECALL TELEVISION, RADIO, OR NEWSPAPER STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WERE CRIMINALLY INSANE. THE DATA REVEAL THAT PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD THE MENTALLY ILL ARE MILD IN COMPARISON TO ATTITUDES TOWARD THE CRIMINALLY INSANE. PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD THE CRIMINALLY INSANE ARE DOMINATED BY FEAR OF THE UNPREDICTABILITY AND DANGER THAT THE CRIMINALLY INSANE ARE PERCEIVED TO PRESENT. WHEN ASKED ABOUT MEDIA REPORTS, NEARLY ALL OF THE RESPONDENTS CITED PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUAL OR ALLEGED MURDERERS, PARTICULARLY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN MASS MURDERS, BIZARRE MURDERS, OR ATTEMPTS ON THE LIVES OF PRESIDENTS. THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF THE CRIMINALLY INSANE APPEARS TO BE OUT OF LINE WITH THE MAJORITY OF PERSONS WHO ARE SO LABELED IN PROFESSIONAL OR LEGISLATIVE CONTEXTS. THE SURVEY FINDINGS INDICATE THAT CRITICISM OF MEDIA DEPICTIONS OF THE MENTALLY ILL MAY BE EXTENDED TO DEPICTIONS OF THE CRIMINALLY INSANE. TABULAR DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)