Punitive public attitudes towards crime

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.

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.