NCJ Number
207449
Date Published
2003
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article discusses public opinion on criminal justice issues and prisoner reentry.
Abstract
In recent years, public opinion on the criminal justice system has been changing, moving away from support for mandatory sentencing and punishment towards alternatives to prison for non-violent offenders. Current research shows that punitive measures for offenders is a minority view among Americans; the majority believe that the criminal justice system needs to be fair, balanced, and effective with a focus on rehabilitation. Recent studies show that support for mandatory sentencing dropped from 55 percent in 1995 to 38 percent in 2001, and that support for treating the underlying causes of crime as opposed to implementing get tough policies increased from 48 percent in 1994 to 65 percent in 2001. There has been little research on issues related specifically to prisoner reentry. Overall, the studies show that the public supports rehabilitation for offenders, but not at the expense of other societal programs that would benefit the entire community. For the general public, the issue of prisoner reentry is not a pressing issue, and most people are not aware of the many barriers faced by prisoners who reenter the community. Future research is needed to specifically examine this issue. References and appendix on select polling results