Public Support for Tougher Criminal Justice Rebounds

“In general, do you think the criminal justice system in this country is too tough, not tough enough or about right in its handling of crime?” Gallup has asked this question six times since 1992. Initially, 80% of respondents said not tough enough. By 2020, only 41% thought so, though that was still twice many as thought it was too tough. In the latest survey, though, a solid majority of 58% think the system is not tough enough, more than quadruple the number who think it is too tough. Click on the thumbnail for the full-size graph. Megan Brennan has this report for Gallup.

Why the turnaround? One obvious reason is that criminal justice has, in fact, gotten considerably less tough in many states in recent years. Another reason is the increases in crime in some areas and some types of crime, including homicides, carjacking, and retail theft, and a decline in public order. No doubt many people have concluded (correctly, in my opinion) that so-called “reform” measures reducing the consequences for committing crimes have contributed to these increases.