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

---~~[:__ ,,,,_n,_Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics 1983Public Attitudes Toward Crime and Criminal Justice-Related TopicsTable 2.81 Attitudes toward prisan construction to accorrmodate longer sentence~" and willingness toincrease taxes to pay for prisan construction, by demographic characteristics, United States, 1982Table 7.82 Attitudes taward building prisons in high crime!\oTE: See !\oTE, Table 2.1. The data below are answers to a sequence of questions. First, respondents were19~2s, by demographic characteristics, United States,asker! if they approved or disapproved of prison construction. If they indicated they approved, they wereI'a~ked if they would still approve if it required a tax increase. The percents under the heading "tax increaseN:JTE: Respondents were asked whether they thought the followingto pay for construction" are based on the total sample of 2,464 respondents. For a discussion of publicIproposal was a good Idea or a poor idea. For a discussion ofopil"'''n survey sampling procedures, see Appendix 7. For detailed information about this survey, see Appendix public opinion survey sampling procedures, see Appendix 7.8.,Question: "B~lId prisons In high crime areas to serve as aQuestions: "Would you approve or disapprove of building more prisons so that longer sentences could bewarning to potential criminals In those areas."given to criminals?"If approve, "What if building more prisons meant your taxes went up to pay for them, would you(Percent)still approve?"(Percent Iia Good)Poor Noidea idea opinionI,Notional 36Prison construction Tax increase to ga)1 for coQ!!tl"uction53 IINo opinion, Did not approve ) Sex:Dis- refused Still Dis- constructionMale 36Approve approve to answer 55 9a~prove approve or don't know FemaleI36 52 12IiNotional 69 2B 3 62 6 31Race:J' White 36Sex:53Nonwhite II36Male 71 27 2 65555 309Female 68 28 5 59 8 34 IEducation:College 28 64 8Race, ethnicity: High school 3tl 51 I!White 69 28 3 63 6 3L Grade school 43 40 17Black 67 31 2 56 9 35Hispanic 713 21 I 69 9 22 Occupation:Professional and business 31 61 8Education: Clerical and sales 33 51 16College 67 30 2 63 4 33 Manual workers 41 50 9High school 71 25 3 62 8 29 Nonlabor force 33 52 15Grade school 72 23 5 56 II 32Income:Employment status: 1".000 ood o~, 31 61 8Full-time employed 70 28 2 64 5 31 20,000 to r4,999 34 56 10Part-time employed 69 28 4 61 8 31 15,000 to 19,999 40 47 13Unem~loyed 63 36 I 52 10 38 10,000 to 14,999 39 53 8Laid off 81 19 0 69 II 19 5,000 to $9,999 37 49 14Retired 70 23 7 63 6 31 Under $5,000 33 53 14Full-time homemaker 72 24 4 61 8 31Student 61 39 0 55 5 39 Age:Total under 30 years 41 50 9Income: 18 to 24 years 42 49 9ro,ooo and over 68 30 2 63 5 32 25 to 29 years 39 52 920,000 to ~29,999 71 26 3 66 4 30 30 to 49 years 33 58 912,000 to 19,999 73 25 I 66 6 28 Tot