NCJ Number
76172
Date Published
1971
Length
151 pages
Annotation
Based on interviews with adult residents of Utah, this 1971 survey examined attitudes toward crime, police, the courts, the correctional system, and the Mormon church.
Abstract
A private research firm contracted by the State interviewed a representative sample of 840 residents over age 18 and 2 'oversamples,' consisting of 102 blacks and 209 chicanos, in their homes during September 1971. Throughout the report, the results of the interviews with the primary sample are analyzed by various subgroups, inlcuding size of place of residence, age, sex, education, religion, income, and importance of religion for Mormons. The oversamples are broken down by age, sex and education. The survey first asked respondents to rate Utah as a place to live and then to identify major problems which faced the State. Crime and drug abuse were considered the most serious problems by all groups. Chicanos and blacks also felt that unemployment and discrimination were serious problems, while whites expressed some concern about pollution. Although crime ranked high as a statewide problem, answers to questions concerning fear of crime and crime cause indicated that most residents did not actually feel threatened by crime in their own neighborhoods. However, the proportions of blacks and chicanos who were concerned about local crime were significantly higher than for whites. In addition, the police were held in high regard by 76 percent of the total sample, although they received substantially lower ratings from minorities. Young chicanos were especially dissatisfied with the police. Respondents were also asked to evaluate police training, freedom from corruption, fairness toward different groups, handling of suspects, and willingness to help people. Courts received negative ratings ranging from 60 to 37 percent. Areas of concern included large backlogs and the length of time that it takes to reach a final decision. Negative opinions of the corrections system were also expressed, but the public still felt that imprisonment was an appropriate penalty for many crimes and was opposed to increased use of probation or community-based programs in their own neighborhoods. Attitudes toward the effect of prison on offenders and their problems reentering society were also analyzed. The survey result indicated that while the public favored giving more authority and money to the police, they were unwilling to become involved in improving the courts and correctional programs. Statistical tables are used throughout the report. A discussion of discrimination and the influence of the Mormon church in Utah is appended, along with a description of the sample design and the survey instrument used.