Citation

Secret PE, Johnson JB. J. Crim. Justice 1989; 17(5): 361-375.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1989, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0047-2352(89)90047-0

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Utilizing National Opinion Research Center (NORC) data from 1980 through 1986, this research examined the connection between race and attitudes toward crime. Using simple cross tabulation, the authors looked for racial differences in attitudes toward court harshness, use of wiretaps, support of gun control, and government spending to control crime and drug abuse. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to discover the extent that race, rather than socioeconomic, sociological, political, or demographic variables, explains differences between the attitudes of Blacks and whites toward crime. Differences in reported gun ownership were also researched. The authors found some convergence between attitudes of Blacks and whites toward crime since 1980. Bivariate analysis found statistically significant differences between the attitudes of Blacks and whites for all dependent variables, but in the multivariate analysis race was a significant factor only on attitudes toward court harshness and use of wiretaps once other factors were controlled. The authors discuss some theoretical and policy implications of their findings.