NCJ Number
88457
Editor(s)
J J Knowles
Date Published
1982
Length
58 pages
Annotation
Ohioans in 1982 continue to feel very safe in their own neighborhoods, are skeptical of the effectiveness of the criminal justice system but support the police, and are demonstrating greater reliance on crime prevention methods.
Abstract
The survey was conducted among some 1,000 randomly selected Ohio residents in 84 of the State's 88 counties. It indicates that Ohioans have increased their use of deadbolt locks, pinlocks, alarms, and other crime prevention measures. Blacks are most likely and senior citizens less likely to practice crime prevention. Only 56 percent of the State's handgun owners cited protection as their main reason for owning such a weapon. Handgun owners tend to live in the south/central part of the State and to earn more than $25,000 per year. They are more optimistic about their neighborhood crime environments than their nonowning peers. Most citizens rely on the news media, particularly television news, for information about crime and criminal justice. Most Ohioans think the violent crime problem is worse than it is, and those relying on the electronic media have greater knowledge problems about violent crime than those who rely on the print media. Most citizens feel that police should have some college education and that they have the right to fire their weapons at suspected criminals under some circumstances. Graphs and data tables illustrate survey findings. Footnotes are supplied.