Punitive public attitudes towards crime
Claim
- There is now much evidence to suggest that a significant proportion of the population favour relatively severe punishment of offenders. This view is naturally to be expected by victims of crimes in relation to their perpetrators.
Counter claim
- Whereas general questions about crime tend to elicit illiberal responses, the response to more specific questions related to actual events and a range of sentencing options tends to be less punitive, especially when these involve restitution and reparation.