Punishment of Criminals, Attitude about - Measurement Concept

NOTE: We already have an item about the death penalty. This item should attempt to capture questions about the general nature of criminal punishment. Are we too lenient on criminals? Are criminals punished too harshly?
45 Questions match selected parameters.

Survey Questions

PUNISH from Baylor Religion Survey, Wave II (2007)
Q37i. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the federal government should punish criminals more harshly? VCF0832 from American National Election Studies, Cumulative Data File, 1948-2004
Some people are primarily concerned with doing everything possible to protect the legal rights of those accused of committing crimes. Others feel that it is more important to stop criminal activity even at the risk of reducing the rights of the accused. Where would you place yourself on this scale, or haven't you thought much about this? VCF0525 from American National Election Studies, Cumulative Data File, 1948-2004
Republican Party -- respondent's rating of party on rights of accused scale VCF0524 from American National Election Studies, Cumulative Data File, 1948-2004
Some people are primarily concerned with doing everything possible to protect the legal rights of those accused of committing crimes. Others feel that it is more important to stop criminal activity even at the risk of reducing the rights of the accused. Where would you place the Democratic Party? COURTS from General Social Survey 2010 Cross-Section and Panel Combined
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? COURTS from General Social Survey 2008 Cross-Section and Panel Combined
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? LESSCRIM from Houston Area Survey, 1982-2010
What would be more effective in reducing crime [rotate]: Spending (large sums of/the same) money to send criminals to prison and keep them there a long time; or: Spending (large sums of/the same) money to reduce poverty and to keep young people in school? (91, 94, 96, 99, 10) ALTSENT from Houston Area Survey, 1982-2010
Which would be the best way of dealing with people who have been convicted of non-violent criminal offenses [rotate]: community service; closely-supervised probation; or: imprisonment? (99, 05) DRUNKS from Houston Area Survey, 1982-2010
For/Against: What about a law that would take away the driver's license of anyone convicted of drunk driving? (86) PRISONS2 from Houston Area Survey, 1982-2010
Which of these policies do you think would be more effective in reducing crime [rotate]: Giving longer and tougher prison sentences; or: Providing better education and treatment programs to help prisoners return to society? (89, 97, 00) LESSJAIL from Houston Area Survey, 1982-2010
Some states are moving away from the idea of mandatory prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? (02) COURTS from General Social Survey, 2004
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? COURTS from General Social Survey, 2006
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? GUNSDRUG from General Social Survey, 2006
Should penalties for illegally selling guns be tougher, less tough, or about as tough as penalties for illegally selling drugs? COURTS from General Social Survey, 2000
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? COURTS from General Social Survey, 2002
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? Q39I from Baylor Religion Survey, Wave I (2005)
Q39 To what extent do you agree or disagree that the federal government should..i. Punish criminals more harshly COURTS from General Social Survey, 1990
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? W1P16 from American National Election Studies, Panel Study, 2008-2009
Imagine that the U.S. government suspects a person in the United States of being a terrorist. Do you favor, oppose, or neither favor nor oppose the government being able to put this person in prison for months without ever bringing the person to court and charging him or her with a crime? COURTS from General Social Survey, 1996
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? COURTS from General Social Survey, 1988
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? COURTS from General Social Survey, 1991
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? STIFFPUN from General Social Survey, 1991
Here are some measures to deal with crime. Some people are in favor of them while other people are against them. Do you agree or disagree that . . . People who break the law should be given stiffer sentences. FEDSPP17 from American National Election Studies, 2002
Next I am going to read you a list of federal programs. For each one, I would like you to tell me whether you would like to see spending increased or decreased: -- FEDERAL SPENDING SERIES: WAR ON TERRORISM FEDSPP18 from American National Election Studies, 2002
Next I am going to read you a list of federal programs. For each one, I would like you to tell me whether you would like to see spending increased or decreased: -- PRE-POST SUMMARY: HOMELAND SECURITY - FEDERAL SPENDING FED_SP7 from American National Election Studies, 2002
Next I am going to read you a list of federal programs. For each one, I would like you to tell me whether you would like to see spending increased or decreased: -- CHILD CARE I1LAWS from State of Disunion Survey, 1996
Please tell me how much you think each of the following would help to improve things in this country. How about . . . a. if there were tougher laws and penalties to deter crime? Would that help a lot, somewhat, only a little or not at all? SC4HARSH from State of Disunion Survey, 1996
Many believe that crime is one of America's greatest contemporary problems. How important do you think each of the following is to solving this problem? Is it very important, important, somewhat important, or not important? Harsher sentences V158A from American Mosaic Project - A National Survey on Diversity
Next I will read a list of statements about crime and your community. Please tell me whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree, with the following statements: The courts are too lenient with criminals. V158B from American Mosaic Project - A National Survey on Diversity
We need tougher prison sentences for repeat offenders. COURTS from General Social Survey, 1998
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? CRIME from American National Election Studies, 2004
Should federal spending on DEALING WITH CRIME be INCREASED, DECREASED, or kept ABOUT THE SAME? DTREHBCR from Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes, 1987-2009
The criminal justice system should try to rehabilitate criminals, not just punish them. (Q10CC) SOCPROB2 from American National Election Studies, 2000
How about you? Do you think that the best way to reduce crime is to address social problems or to make sure criminals are caught, convicted, and punished, or that we should do something in between, or haven't you thought much about this? LESSCRIM from Houston Area Survey, 2010
What would be more effective in reducing crime [rotate]: Spending (large sums of/the same) money to send criminals to prison and keep them there a long time; or: Spending (large sums of/the same) money to reduce poverty and to keep young people in school? COURTS from General Social Survey, 1980
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? COURTS from General Social Survey, 1976
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? COURTS from General Social Survey, 1978
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? PRISONS from Lilly Survey of Attitudes and Social Networks
We should spend more money on prisons so that we can put criminals away for a long time. COURTS from General Social Survey, 1994
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? STD_CRIM from Carnegie Council National Surveys of Higher Education, Graduate Student Sample (1975)
Please indicate the extent of your agreement or disagreement with each of the following statements. - There is too much concern in the courts for the rights of criminals. COURTS from General Social Survey, 1993
In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals? CONCOURT from Carnegie Foundation National Survey of Higher Education, Faculty Sample (1975)
Please indicate the extent of your agreement or disagreement with each of the following statements: -- There is too much concern in the courts for the rights of criminals. AGREE1CC from July 2003 Values Update Survey
[ASK ONLY IF FORM=1 '1']Now I am going to read you another series of statements on some different topics. For each statement, please tell me if you completely agree with it, mostly agree with it, mostly DISagree with it or completely disagree with it. : The criminal justice system should try to rehabilitate criminals, not just punish them HATECR2B from Southern Focus Poll, Oversample Survey, Spring 1996
[ASKED ONLY OF RESPONDENTS WHO SAID HATE CRIME LAWS ARE A BAD IDEA] How do you feel about laws that impose extra penalties on people who vandalize synagogues, churches, mosques, or cemeteries? Do you think that special penalties for this type of vandalism would be a good idea or bad idea?