NCJ Number
48439
Date Published
1977
Length
27 pages
Annotation
TO EXAMINE AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME AS A PROBLEM ON THE NATIONAL, COMMUNITY, AND LOCAL LEVEL, AND TOWARD THE POLICE, THE COURTS, AND CORRECTIONS, PUBLIC OPINION DATA FROM 1960 TO 1976 WERE STUDIED.
Abstract
MAJOR FINDINGS FROM DATA FROM OVER 100 SURVEYS ARE SUMMARIZED. CRIME IS CONSISTENTLY SEEN MORE AS A COMMUNITY THAN A NATIONAL PROBLEM. CONCERN WITH CRIME HAS INCREASED AT NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY LEVELS OVER THE PERIOD STUDIED; AND THIS CONCERN IS VOICED BY ALL SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION REGARDLESS OF RACE, RELIGION, POLITICAL PERSUASION, AGE, OR INCOME LEVEL. CONCERN IS GREATEST AMONG WHITES, OLDER PEOPLE, AND THE BETTER EDUCATED AND MORE WELL-TO-DO. AN INCREASING NEED FOR GOVERNMENT ACTION IS SEEN AND USE OF TAX MONIES TO THIS END IS INCREASINGLY FAVORED. THERE IS STRONG SENTIMENT THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS NOT BEEN PERFORMING AT MAXIMUM CAPACITY. BLACKS, YOUNGER RESPONDENTS, AND THE LESS EDUCATED AND LESS WELL-TO-DO TEND TO LAY THE BLAME FOR CRIME ON SOCIETY. AWARENESS OF AND CONCERN OVER CRIME TENDS TO BE GREATER IN LARGER CITIES. THE GREATER THE COMMUNITY CONCERN OVER CRIME, THE GREATER THE FELT NEED FOR TOUGHER AND MORE COMPREHENSIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT. VARIABILITY IN CONCERN OVER CRIME IS FOUND AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL BOTH FOR SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS AND FOR SPECIFIC CITIES. BLACKS AND YOUTHS ARE VIEWED AS THE MOST LIKELY OFFENDERS. WOMEN, THE ELDERLY, AND THE LESS EDUCATED AND LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS TEND TO EXPRESS GREATEST CONCERN OVER NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME PROBLEMS. STRICTER LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MORE CONTROL OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE FAVORED. IN GENERAL, ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE ARE LARGELY POSITIVE AND RESPECTFUL; AND MOST MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE SATISFIED WITH POLICE PERFORMANCE. EXPANSION OF POLICE FORCES AND POLICE ACTIVITIES IS GENERALLY FAVORED, AND MANY RESPONDENTS FAVOR INCREASED POLICE AUTHORITY, ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE TEND TO BE MORE NEGATIVE AMONG BLACKS, THE YOUNG, THE LESS EDUCATED, AND THE LESS AFFLUENT. ABOUT HALF OF THE RESPONDENTS EXPRESS CONFIDENCE IN THE COURTS. NONWHITES, MIDDLE-INCOME EARNERS, AND THE ELDERLY TEND TO EXPRESS LESS CONFIDENCE THAN OTHERS. A MAJORITY FEEL THE COURTS ENCOURAGE VIOLATION OF THE LAW, THAT TRIAL DELAYS ARE TOO LONG, THAT THE COURTS ARE TOO LENIENT, AND THAT ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IS OFTEN INEQUITABLE. RESPONDENTS TENDED TO BE DIVIDED ON WHETHER CORRECTIONS ARE EFFECTIVE OR INEFFECTIVE IN DEALING WITH CRIME. PROTECTION OF SOCIETY WAS SEEN AS THE MAIN FUNCTION PERFORMED BY PRISONS, ALTHOUGH REHABILITATION WAS VIEWED AS THE IDEAL PURPOSE. WHITE, YOUNGER, MORE AFFLUENT, AND BETTER EDUCATED RESPONDENTS TENDED TO HAVE MORE NEGATIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD CORRECTIONS. MANY RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A GREATER NEED FOR COUNSELING, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, AND EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER SERVICES FOR OFFENDERS. DESPITE BELIEFS IN THE NEED FOR STRICTER MEASURES FOR SECOND OFFENDERS, IT IS FELT THAT PRISONS TEND TO CRIMINALIZE RATHER THAN REHABILITATE OFFENDERS. COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS ARE FAVORED IN PRINCIPLE; BUT ATTITUDES TOWARD SUCH A FACILITY IN ONE'S OWN NEIGHBORHOOD WERE NEGATIVE. INCREASED FUNDING FOR CORRECTIONS IS FAVORED BY TWO-THIRDS OF THE RESPONDENTS. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. (JAP)