NCJ Number
58583
Date Published
1979
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THIS SURVEY OF PUBLIC OPINION ON JUVENILE JUSTICE IN CONNECTICUT COVERED A SAMPLE OF 720 PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE STATE WITH TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS FROM FEBRUARY 21 TO MARCH 6, 1979.
Abstract
THE TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS TOOK PLACE IN THE EVENING AND WERE CHOSEN BY RANDOM DIGIT DIALING. OF ALL CONTACTS, ROUGHLY 63 PERCENT RESPONDED. THE RESPONDENTS REPRESENTED A CROSS SECTION OF THE CONNECTICUT POPULATION ABOVE THE AGE OF 18, EXCEPT THAT MORE OF THE RESPONDENTS HAD HIGHER EDUCATION LEVELS THAN THE AVERAGE CONNECTICUT RESIDENT. SURVEY FINDINGS SHOWED 81 PERCENT AGREEMENT THAT THE WHOLE FAMILY NEEDS HELP WHEN A CHILD RUNS AWAY, 60 PERCENT THAT ONLY REPEATED SERIOUS OFFENDERS REALLY NEED TO BE INCARCERATED, AND 75 PERCENT THAT MORE TAX DOLLARS SHOULD BE SPENT ON KEEPING YOUTH OUT OF JAIL, RATHER THAN IN JAIL. ONLY 2.6 PERCENT SAID THAT JUVENILE CRIME WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM FACING CONNECTICUT. ALSO, 59 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS THOUGHT THAT THE JUVENILE COURT COULD DO A BETTER JOB. GENERALLY, OPINION FAVORED DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENDERS. A TABLE OF THE QUESTIONS AND THE RESPONSES IS INCLUDED, AS WELL AS OTHER TABLES AND FOOTNOTES. THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT IS APPENDED. (PRG)