Media Influence
Three times as many people — 76% of adults surveyed — say that they get their information about crime from the media rather than personal experience.
This report examines the youth perspective on violence, life circumstance, and the response of the justice system to a supposed growth of violence among troubled youth, based on studies in Dallas; Washington, D.C.; and San Mateo, California.
Three times as many people — 76% of adults surveyed — say that they get their information about crime from the media rather than personal experience.
Most adults in the United States — 71% — believed crime increased across the country from 2006 to 2007; 51% believed crime in their local area was higher than the previous year.
Most adults surveyed — 65% — believed the best way to reduce crime was tackling social problems; 71% of 18 to 29 year-olds favored this approach. Whites were more likely to favor increasing police (34%) versus non-whites (14%).
The majority of adults surveyed believed providing more education, job training and prevention services were more effective ways to reduce juvenile crime than stiffer penalties.
Recommended steps toward engaging constituents in reforming the juvenile justice system include:
