Crime & justice

In the first month after the natural disaster, to what extent did you experience any of the following: Fear of crime?

C. Would you approve of a man punching a stranger who had hit the man's child after the child accidentally damaged the stranger's car?

During the last year, did anyone take something directly from you by using force--such as a stickup, mugging, or threat?

Have you ever been threatened with a gun, or shot at?

Have you ever been punched or beaten by another person?

D. Was beating up a woman and the man saw it?

A. Did this happen to you as a child or as an adult?

During the last year--that is, between last March and now--did anyone break into or somehow illegally get into your (apartment/home)?

A. Did this happen to you as a child or as an adult?

A. Was in a protest march showing opposition to the other man's views?

Are there any situations that you can imagine in which you would approve of a man punching an adult male stranger?

E. Had broken into the man's house?

B. Was drunk and bumped into the man and his wife on the street?

Thinking of all the places you've lived during the last six months, did you ever feel pressure to move due to any of the following reasons? Select all that apply.

Policemen (1992: the police; 2016: police) – feeling thermometer

Have you ever received a ticket, or been charged by the police, for a traffic violation--other than for illegal parking?

A. Were you ever picked up, or charged, by the police, for any (other) reason whether or not you were guilty?

B. How many times would you guess this has happened to you?

B. How many times would you guess this has happened to you?

Where would you place yourself on this scale, or haven’t you thought much about this? (7-POINT SCALE SHOWN TO R)

To let a guilty person go free

Some people are primarily concerned with doing everything possible to protect the legal rights of those accused of committing crimes. Others feel that it is more important to stop criminal activity even at the risk of reducing the rights of the accused. Where would you place yourself on this scale, or haven’t you thought much about this? (7-POINT SCALE SHOWN TO R)

Now thinking about safety in this neighborhood, how safe do you think it is?

In your day-to-day life how often have any of the following things happened to you? You are threatened or harassed.

(Would you approve of a policeman striking a citizen who...) Had said vulgar and obscene things to the police officer?

In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals?

Would you approve if the citizen was attacking the police officer with his fists?

In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly or not harshly enough with criminals?

Are there any situations you can imagine in which you would approve of a police officer striking an adult male citizen?

Thinking of all the places you've lived during the last six months, did you ever feel pressure to move due to any of the following reasons? Select all that apply.

Do you or someone in your immediate family currently have any unpaid legal expenses, fines fees, or court costs?

Within the past 12 months, how many people have you known personally that were victims of homicide.

Convicted of a criminal offense but never received a prison sentence - Have you ever been:

Arrested or taken into custody by the police - Have you ever been:

Convicted of a criminal offense and received a prison sentence - Have you ever been:

Crime risk - How satisfied are you with each of the following aspects of your neighborhood?

If you do not have enough transportation to meet your needs, which of the following reasons explain why (select all that apply):

[Safety of neighborhood] How satisfied are you with each of the following aspects of your housing situation?

3. Your home burglarized or broken into.

7. Your child was arrested or got in trouble with the law.

• A robbery (e.g. a mugging or stick-up).

5. Arrested.

2. A personal assault (e.g. being beaten up, hit, or attacked with a weapon).

4. Accused of something for which a person might be sent to jail.

A. Keep the man under surveillance.

D. Detain the man overnight for questioning.

C. Open his mail.

B. Tap his telephone.

In general, do you think the courts in this area deal too harshly, or not harshly enough with criminals, or don't you have enough information about the courts to say?

NOTE: This variable originates on the GSS Next follow-on, and should not be analyzed without the GSS Next-specific weights WTSSPS_NEXT or WTSSNRPS_NEXT

Over the past year have you...(Check all that apply) [Been a victim of a crime]

On the issue of gun regulation, do you support or oppose a proposal that would do the following? [Decrease the number of police on the street by 10 percent, and increase funding for other public services]

On the issue of gun regulation, do you support or oppose a proposal that would do the following? [Increase the number of police on the street by 10 percent, even if it means fewer funds for other public services]

How likely in your opinion is it (VIGNAME) would carry out a school shooting?

Over the past year have you... [Been a victim of a crime]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Ban the use of choke holds by police]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Allow individuals or their families to sue a police officer for damages if the officer is found to have "recklessly disregarded" the individual's rights]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Require police officers to wear body cameras that record all of their activities while on duty]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Increase the number of police on the street by 10 percent, even if it means fewer funds for other public services]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Create a national registry of police who have been investigated for or disciplined for misconduct]

Do the police make you feel...?

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Decrease the number of police on the street by 10 percent, and increase funding for other public services]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [End the Department of Defense program that sends surplus military weapons and equipment to police departments]

Favor or oppose reducing funding for police and instead funding social services

Do the police treat Whites better than Black people, treat both the same, or treat Black people better than Whites?

Favor strenghtening law and order vs. reducing bias in the criminal justice system

In general, do the police treat Whites better than Latinos, treat both the same, or treak Latinos better than Whites?

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Create a national registry of police who have been investigated for or disciplined for misconduct.]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [End the Department of Defense program that sends surplus military weapons and equipment to police departments.]

Do the police make you feel...?

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Allow individuals or their families to sue a police officer for damages if the officer is found to have “recklessly disregarded” the individual’s rights.]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Ban the use of choke holds by police]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders.]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Increase the number of police on the street by 10 percent, even if it means fewer funds for other public services.]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Require police officers to wear body cameras that record all of their activities while on duty.]

Over the past year have you... [Been a victim of a crime]

Do you support or oppose each of the following proposals? [Decrease the number of police on the street by 10 percent, and increase funding for other public services]

Have you ever been the victim of a violent crime?

Safety of neighborhood - Are you generally satisfied or dissatisfied with each of the following aspects of your housing situation?

Have any members of your immediate family ever been in prison or jail for one nigt or longer?

Thinking now about your _local community_, how would you grade the following: [The police]

OVER THE PAST YEAR have you... [Been issued a traffic ticket]

OVER THE PAST YEAR have you... [Been a victim of a crime]

[Safety of your neighborhood] How satisfied are you with each of the following aspects of your housing situation?

B. That people convicted of serious crimes lose their citizen rights

B. Not counting minor traffic offenses, have you ever been convicted of a crime?

G. Law Enforcement. (Is law enforcement...?)

C. Have you ever spent any time in prison or jail?

Are there any situations you can imagine in which you would approve of a policeman striking an adult male citizen or are there no situations you can imagine in which you would approve of this?

D. Stealing and selling these same materials to a friendly foreign government.

D. Unauthorized snooping into a computer system.

A. Stealing and selling weapons, ammunition, and explosives from a military depot.

A. Stealing national security data in a computer system.

F. Downloading pornographic material from the Internet to a computer at the office.

C. Intentionally damaging or destroying a computer system.

C. Stealing and selling copies of secret codes and other classified intelligence materials to an agent of a hostile foreign government.

B. Leaking sensitive information to a newspaper in order to influence public opinion about a controversial political issue. The offender received no money.

B. Intentionally damaging national security data in a computer system.

E. Stealing and selling truck parts and tires from a military depot.

E. E-mailing SECRET or TOP SECRET government documents or data files to an unauthorized person.

A. An army sergeant was convicted of stealing airplane parts, ammunition, explosives and other government property and selling them to civilians.

E. A government employee was convicted of stealing truck parts and tires from a military depot and selling them to civilians.

C. A Navy petty officer with the highest security clearance made copies of secret codes and other classified intelligence materials and sold them to an agent of a hostile foreign government.

B. A high-placed government official leaked sensitive information to a newspaper in order to influence public opinion about a controversial political issue. The official received no money.

D. What if the petty officer had sold these materials to an agent of a friendly foreign government?

What was your relationship to the attorney who provided the services, or to another attorney in the firm? Please indicate what your closest relationship was.

A. People who break the law should be given stiffer sentences.

C. The safety of the neighborhoods they live in.

C. Open his mail.

B. Tap his telephone.

D. Detain the man overnight for questioning.

A. Keep the man under surveillance.

How much information do you have about the crime issue? Do you have all of the information you need, most of the information, some information, or very little information?

How important is the law enforcement issue to you--would you say it is one of the most important, important, not very important, or not important at all?

How important is the crime issue to you--would you say it is one of the most important, important, not very important, or not important at all?

How firm are you about your opinion on crime--would you say you are very likely to change your opinion, somewhat likely to change, somewhat unlikely to change, or very unlikely to change?

How much information do you have about the law enforcement issue? Do you have all of the information you need, most of the information, some information, or very little information?

How firm are you about your opinion on law enforcement--would you say you are very likely to change your opinion, somewhat likely to change, somewhat unlikely to change, or very unlikely to change?

How about at home at night--do you feel safe and secure, or not?