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Attitudes Toward Crime: a Survey of Colorado .~ If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. ? Ji :oi ~. .:~c, ~<, :~~ ;t ~ .~! ~t ~ ~ ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME: A SURVEY OF COLORADO .~ ". ~ CITIZENS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE OFFICIALS fi ,fj ,} ~ * ~ {f 'f 3,< !1g :t. o LARIMER l~ p; iI,r ~ ~ ~Ii ~ "fi 1988 COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ATTITUDES TO\!'JARD CRIME: A SURVEY OF COLORADO CITIZENS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE OFFICIALS BY KIM ENGLISH JOAN CROUCH SUZANNE PULLEN 122910 U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice This document has been reproduced exactly as received from the person or organization originating it. Points of view or opinions stated In this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily repr~sent the official position or policies of the National Institute of Justice. Permission to reproduce this copyrighted material has been granted by Colorado Department of Pub 1 j c S a..f.e±dl:----__ to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). NC.JRS. ~urther reprodu~tion outside of the NCJRS system requires permis­ sion of the copYright owner. IA~. 8' 19'~ ACQUHilTION§ ........ AUGUST 1989 COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE WILliAM R. WOODWARD, DIRECTOR MARY J. MANDE, RESEARCH DIRECTOR THIS RESEARCH WAS SUPPORTED BY GRANT NUMBER 87-SJ-CX-K032 BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE EXECUTIVE SUBJIMARy........................................................................................ ix What Collorado Citizens Think about Crime.................. ........... .......... ........... ix Reactions to Crime ............................................................................... ,............ x Attitudes toward Sentencing and the System.................... ................ ............ xi INTRODUCTION ............................................ I11 .... U.. !tIl.............................................. 1 Characteristics of the Respondents..................................... ........................... 2 Ethnic Groups....... ...... ..... ............................. .... .......... .... ..... ................ .............. 3 Age Groups... ....... .... .......... .......................... ...... .............. .... ....... .................... ... 3 Income Groups....... .... ....... ........ ...... ...... ....... ... ....................... .... ......... .............. 4 Political Affiliation............................................................................................... 5 Organization of Report..................................... ........................................ ......... 6 CHAPTER ONE AlTITUDES TOWARD CRIME.............................................................................. 8 Perception of the Crime Problem...................... .............................. ................ 8 Concern about Crime............ ........................... .......... .......... ............................. 9 Findings over Three Time Periods: Concern about Crime........................ 15 Fear of Crime and Victimization...................................................................... 18 Findings over Three Time Periods: Fear of Crime and Victimization ....... 27 Chapter Summary.................... .......................................................................... 30 CHAPTER TWO REACTIONS TO CRIME ....................................................................................... 32 Findings over Three Survey Periods: Reactions to Crime..... .............. ...... 37 Chapter Summary .............................................................................................. 40 CHAPTER THREE ATTITUDES TOWARD SENTENCING AND THE SySTEM ................................. 42 Attitudes toward Appropriate Sentencing Practices................... ....... ..... ....... 44 Appropriate Sentences: Five Crime Scenarios........ ....... ................... ..... ..... 46 iii • The Death Penalty............................................................................................. 57 Findings over Three Survey Periods: Attitudes toward Sentencing .......... 58 Attitudes toward Funding Correctional Alternatives................ ........... ........... 62 Findings over Three Survey Periods: Funding for • Correctional Alternatives.................................... ....... ............. ...... .... ............. 65 Attitudes toward the Criminal Justice System........................ .......... ........ ..... 66 Chapter Summary .............................................................................................. 69 • BIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................................... 11......................................... 73 APPENDICES • APPENDIX A: THE SURVEY .............................. D ••••••• I1 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 79 APPENDIX B: OPEN COMMENTS BY RESPONDENTS..................................................................................................... 89 • • • • • • iv LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1-1 Percent of Colorado Population and Sample by Ethnic Group...... ..... 3 1-2 Percent of Population and Sample by Age Group........ ......................... 4 1-3 Percent of Respondents by Incom~ Category ............................................. 5 1-4 Percent of Respondents and All Registered Voters by Political Party Affiliation.............................................. ........ ............... 5 1-1 The Public and Practitioners Agree: Crime, Drug Abuse, and the Economy are Considered Our Most Pressing Social Issues........................... ..................................................... ............ 9 1-2 Respcmdents Who Have Friends or Acquaintances Who Use Drugs....................................................................................... 11 1-3 Perceptions of the Crime Problem in Colorado and the Community..... ........................................................................... 12 lO> 1-4 More Citizens in Denver and EI Paso View Crime as a Problem in Colorado and the Community........................................... 13 1-5 Most Respondents Believe Crime Will Increase in Colorado and the Community................................................................................ 14 1-6 Crime and Lawlessness Is a Continuing Concern of Respondents in 1984 and 1988................................... ......................... 16 1-7 Crime Continues to Be Perceived as a More Serious Problem in the State than in the Community..................................... 17 1-8 In 1984 and 1988 the Majority of Respondents Said Crime Will Increase in the State and Community ........................................... 17 1-9 Most Respondents Do Not Feel Unsafe because of Crime.................. 18 1-10 More Citizens in Denver and E~ Paso Counties Feel Safe.................... 19 1-11 Are You Afraid to Walk Alone at Night within a Mile of Your Home? .............................................................................. 20 1-12 Are You Afraid for Adult or Child Members of Your Family to Walk Alone at Night within a Mile of Your Home?....................... 21 v • 1-13 How Often at Night Are You Afraid Someone Is Going to Break into Your Home and Threaten you? ......................................... 21 1-14 Fear of Crime........ .......................................... ........ ..................................... 23 • 1-15 More Women than Men Are Afraid of Crime ........................................... 24 1-16 The Elderly Fear Crime More than the young........................................ 24 • 1-17 In the Last 12 Months Has Anyone in Your Household Been a Victim of Crime? ....................................................................... 25 1-18 Number of Household Victimizations....................... .................. ............... 25 1-19 Household Victim of Violent Crime................................................ ........... 26 • 1-20 Most People Feel Safe from Crime During the Day ............................... 28 1-21 Most People Feel Safe from Crime at Night.... ............. .......................... 28 • 1-22 Trends in Level of Fear of Crime Among Male and Female Respondents.......... ........................... .... ............... ...... ........ 29 1-23 Trends in Level of Fear of Crime among Respondents under Age 60 and Age 60 and Over................................................... 29 • 1-24 Few People Worry Frequently About Specific Types of Victimization....... .......... ...... ......... .... .................................. ....... 30 2-1 Most Respondents Do Not Limit Their Activities because of Fear of Crime......................... ................................. ........... 33 • 2-2 More Women than Men Limit Activities During the Day and Night because of Fear of Crime ................................................... 34 2-3 More Elderly Public Respondents Limit Their Activities • During the Day and at Night because of Fear of Crime..... ........ ..... 34 2-4 Most Respondents Are Not Afraid, because of Fear of Crime to Go to Neighborhood Places Where They Used to Go .................. 35 2-5 More Public than Official Respondents Identify Callers • before Opening the Door...................................................................... 36 2-6 Use of Special Locks Is the Most Frequently Reported Form of Crime Prevention for Both Public and Official Respondents....................................................................... 36 • vi •
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