NCJ Number
53026
Date Published
1978
Length
19 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A SURVEY OF TEXAS RESIDENTS DEALING WITH FEAR OF CRIME, PUNISHMENT, THE OPERATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, CURRENT ISSUES, AND RESPONDENTS' CHARACTERISTICS.
Abstract
A RANDOM PROBABILITY SAMPLE OF 1000 TEXAS RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 17 WAS SURVEYED, WITH 642 USEABLE SURVEY INSTRUMENTS RETURNED. IN GENERAL, THE SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESPONDENT APPROXIMATED THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEXAS POPULATION, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BLACKS, WHO WERE SLIGHTLY UNDERREPRESENTED. THE DATA ARE REPORTED TO REVEAL A DEFINITE FEAR OF CRIME, WITH 57 PERCENT FEELING THEY MIGHT BE THE VICTIM OF A SERIOUS CRIME WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. OVER ONE-HALF WERE AFRAID TO WALK WITHIN ONE MILE OF THEIR HOME AT NIGHT, AND APPROXIMATELY ONE-FOURTH EXPRESSED FEAR OF WALKING WITHIN EVEN ONE BLOCK OF THEIR HOME AT NIGHT. THE RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED A STRONG PUNISHMENT ORIENTATION TOWARD THE CRIMINAL, WITH 80 PERCENT FAVORING THE DEATH PENALTY. DISSATISFACTION WITH THE OPERATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WAS ALSO EVIDENT, WITH THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS CONSIDERED PARTICULARLY NOTEWORTHY. OF THE RESPONDENTS, 75 PERCENT SUPPORTED SOME TYPE OF GUN REGISTRATION, INCLUDING 44 PERCENT WHO WANTED ALL GUNS REGISTERED; 45 PERCENT WANTED MORE SEVERE LAWS FOR MARIHUANA USE, AND 44 PERCENT WANTED MORE SEVERE LAWS FOR PROSTITUTION. RESPONSES TO SELECTED QUESTIONS ARE ANALYZED BY RACE, SEX, INCOME LEVEL, AND OTHER SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS. THIS IS THE SECOND IN A SERIES OF SEMIANNUAL TEXAS CRIME POLL SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY THE TEXAS CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER. RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY ARE COMPARED WIH THOSE OF THE FIRST SURVEY. RESPONSES ARE NOTED FOR EACH QUESTION ASKED ON THE SURVEY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED---RCB)