NCJ Number
166196
Date Published
1997
Length
39 pages
Annotation
Public opinion data on juvenile justice and related issues were analyzed using nationally representative samples and two statewide surveys in California and Virginia.
Abstract
Americans viewed juvenile crime as a serious problem but had an inflated view of such crime. They believed those under 18 years of age committed 43 percent of all violent crimes in the country. Drugs, television violence, lack of morals, and lack of sufficient parenting were considered to be the root causes of juvenile crime. Although Americans broadly supported some type of parental accountability for crimes committed by children, less than a majority were willing to support fines or imprisonment for parents. Americans took a dim view of rehabilitation efforts aimed at juvenile offenders and were more likely to support punishment as a corrective device. The public generally believed in the prosecution of juveniles as adults and also supported the death penalty for teenagers who committed murder. Many Americans embraced less harsh outcomes for first-time offenders. Americans were divided between prevention programs focused on social causes of crime versus law enforcement and punishment. Income more than any other characteristic correlated to attitudes toward juvenile justice issues; for example, lower-income Americans were more likely than those with higher incomes to say they feared teenage violence and were also more likely to overestimate the percentage of violent crimes committed by juveniles. Statewide surveys in California and Virginia showed stronger support for prevention programs than the national surveys. References and tables