Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, 1983 - Bureau of Justice ...

Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics 1983Table 2.35 Reasons given for Increased level of crime by respondents who believe crime has Increased In their community, bydemographic characteristics, United States, 1981N)TE: The data presented below are from a subsample of people, 54 percent of 1,540 respondents,who believe there Is more crime In their corrmunlty now than a year ago. The specific screenquestion WaS, "Is there more crime In this area than there was a year ogo, or less?" Thoseresponding that there was more crime were then asked the question below. See Table 2.2 forresponses to the first question. For a discussion of public opinion survey sampling procedures, seeAppendix 7.Question: "In your opinion, why Is there more crime in this area than there was a year ago?"NotionalSex:MaleFemaleRace:WhiteNonwhiteEducation:CollegeHigh schoolGrade schoolOccupation:Professional and businessClerical and salesManual workersNonlabor forceIncome:25,000 and over20,000 to ~24'99915,000 to 19,99910,000 to 14,99915,000 to $9,999Under $5,000Age:Total under 30 yearsI B to 24 years25 to 29 years30 to 49 years50 years and olderCity size:1,000,000 and over500,000 to 999,99950,000 to 499,9992,500 to 49,999Under 2,500, ruralRegion:EastMidwestSouthWestReligion:ProtestantCatholicPolitics:RepublicanDemocratIndependent(Percent a )Economic problemsLegal systemLock In-InadequateUnem- of creased LenientDrugs,ployment Inflation money population courts police alcohol21212120282221211817232320171824221920192222212523221520222714232222162323bTotal anol' to more than 100 percent due to multiple responses.Other rderences to a breakdown In morality include: "T.V.,mOVies, pornography" (J percent), "lock of spiritual training" (Jpercent), and "attitudes in our society" (2 percent).161716177221682220167222118131110231634191017181816141716II211618171321666646734773i'54II43IIIIII5434668497555666II12II128II12101679121218!III10714151212971514121076151812II12IIII152010151420149152114121814181;913998158192391315131414181513171314II139II610121071812II106II121641519107111517139615II1088161013818171918231617291791922151419202227IIIIII16252314152318201222191919172115Breakdown In moralityDecline ofrespect,Lock of morals;parental permls- bguidance slveness Other12111312II15IIiO1241412151797147131610121213II92010II151013121413II1210910914137159412878IIII121373P10II125912988148II5121074544764396245563484445447435266533547597996971659931047157II296105867888577878Noopinion75B71047105661045B8.89cOther mentions include: "mothers working, children unsupervised"(J percent), "government (genera!)" (J percent), "dissatisfaction wll'hlife" (2 percent), "divorce rate" (Jess than I percent), and''mIscellaneous'' (3 percent).Source: George H. Gallup, The Gallup Report, Report No. 187 (Princeton, N.J.: The Gallup Poll, April 1981), pp. 8, 9. Reprinted by permission.4636975847146II374776\II,rI,IIIIITable 2.36 Attitudes toward statements about crime, UnitedStates, 1982N)TE: See f\OTE, Tobie 2.1. For a discussion of public opinion surveysampling procedures, see Appendix 7. For detailed Informctlon onthis survey, see Appendix 8.Question: "I'm going to mention several things peoplesometimes soy about crime. After each, please tell me whether youagree or disagree with it."If a person spends time in Jailchances are goad he won't commitany more crimes after he gets outof jailMost Judges have more sympathy forthe criminals than for their victims 55A block person is more likely tocommit a crime than a white person 29Most crimes go unpunished these days 80Police should be able to stop andsearch anybody at any time If theysuspect that person has committeda crimeMore (;.rlzens should corry defensiveweapons ~uch as teargas to protectthemselves on the street 47This country Is finally beginning tomoke some progress In solving thecrime problem 34We'd have less crime In this countryIf more parents disciplined theirchildren strictly 79The only way the crime problem willbe solved Is by pr:1Iate citizensforming their iJwn armed streetpatrols 27The police can't really do much aboutcrime because the courts have puttoo mony restrictions on the police 68Criminals today are more violentthan they were 5 yef.lrs ago 67Prl;~ authorities should be allowedte free a prisoner from Jail oncethe authorities feel that prisonerwill not return to a life of crimeMost convicted criminals could betrusted to work at regUlar jobsoutside prison during the day andreturn to prison at nightOpercents moy not odd to 100 due to rounding.Public Attitudes Toward Crime and Criminal Justice-Related TopicsNo opinion,refusedAgree Dlsggree to answerSource; Table construct,':!d by SOLRCEBOO< stoff from dataprovided by the ABC News Poll; data were made available throughthe Criminal Justice Archive and Information Network, InteruniversityConsortium for Po!itical and Social Research.II5B3634864066113405061.207129285960445222423545Table 2.37 Attitudes toward the statement that chances aregood persons who spend time in Jail will not commit morecrimes, by demographic characteristics, United States, 19B2N)TE: See N)TE, Table 2.1. For a discussion of public opinion surveysampling procedures, see Aopendix 7. F"r detailed informatlor'l onthis survey, see Appendix 8.Question: "I'm going to mention several things peoplesometimes soy about crime. After each, please tell me whether youagree or disagree with it.""If a person spends time In jail chances are (lood he won'tcommit any more crimes after he gets out of jail."-t :JtionalSex:MoleFemaleRace, ethnlclty:WhiteBlockHispanicEducation:CollegeHigh schoolGrode schoolEmployment status:Full-time employedPart-time employedUnemployedLaid offRetiredFull-time homemokerStudentIncome:30,000 and over12lt,000 to $29,99912,000 to $19,9998,000 to $11,999Under $8,000Age:18 to 24 years25 to 29 years30 to 49 years50 to 64 years65 years and olderCommunity size:Lorge citySuburbSmoll townRuralRegion:NortheastMidwestSouthWrist(Percent a ): .... ";';lborhood racial characteris~lcs:,