Research Note: Punish and Rehabilitate? Public Attitudes Toward Six Common Crimes

Abstract

Opinion polls show increasing punitiveness among the public toward criminals. However, methodological issues raise questions about the use of such polls in developing public policy. To provide a more accurate description of attitudes toward crime, a telephone survey of 397 adults was conducted in which punitive and rehabilitative sentiments toward six common crimes were examined. Respondents expressed a strong punishment orientation toward all six offenses, this punitiveness being relatively uniform across a variety of demographic and attitudinal subpopulations within the sample. However, strong support was also expressed for rehabilitative programs, particularly among the young, poor, and minority populations.