UCI

Crime and Public Policy

As an indication of the amount that crime weighs on Orange County residents' minds, four in 10 say they have paid a great deal of attention to Orange County crime news in newspapers (40%) and on television (38%) in the past year, while eight in 10 have paid at least some attention to the news coverage of crime in the county.

The majority of residents today (53%) say they have a great deal or quite a bit of confidence in the ability of the police to protect them from violent crime. Forty-six percent have not very much (38%) or no confidence (8%) in the police.

When the same question was asked in a national Gallup survey, 45 percent expressed confidence in the police. Thus, county residents are more positive about their police protection.

There are no differences by age, income or region in confidence in police protection. However, residents aged 35 to 54 (48%) have less confidence in the police than younger (54%) or older (59%) adult residents.

In contrast to the ratings of police protection, only 24 percent of adult residents have a great deal or quite a bit of confidence in the courts' ability to convict and properly sentence criminals. Seventy-five percent have not very much (57%) or no confidence (18%) in the courts.

In a 1990 Gallup survey, a similar 25 percent expressed confidence in the courts, and 73 percent had not very much or no confidence.

There are no differences by region. Residents under 35 (30%) have more confidence in the courts than do older residents (20%), and those earning under $36,000 (31%) have more confidence than those with higher household incomes (21%). Still, none of these groups display much confidence in the courts.

Sixty-six percent of Orange County residents favor enacting tougher gun control laws as a way of dealing with crime, with 48 percent strongly favoring this public policy proposal. Thirty percent are opposed with 18 percent strongly opposed, and 4 percent are unsure.

In a 1989 Gallup survey, 60 percent favored enacting tougher gun control laws, and 34 percent were opposed.

There are no differences by region of the county or age. There are no major variations by income, with favor ranging from 64 percent to 72 percent across the income categories.

In the August survey, voters expressed their desire for tougher criminal sentencing when 84 percent said they planned to vote for Proposition 184, the so called "Three Strikes" measure that would increase sentences for repeat serious offenders. Democrats and liberals joined Republicans and conservatives in strongly supporting this measure, and there were no differences across income groups. The results are in line with the lack of confidence that residents had expressed in the courts' abilities to convict and properly sentence criminals.

In the November election, a similar 80 percent voted in favor of Proposition 184. The reaction to this measure also reflects the strong level of support for the tougher criminal sentencing law that was passed by the state Legislature earlier in the year.

Chart: Confidence in police protection (not available)