Report · Politics

Just over four in ten reject the idea that criminals deserve care over punishment

Reading

In a Verasight survey conducted Jan. 18-24, 2024, roughly two-in-five Americans (41%) disagree that criminals are unfortunate people who deserve much better care instead of so much punishment, with strong disagreement accounting for 14 points.

Another 37% agree, including 8% who strongly agree, while 22% neither agree nor disagree.

Topline

response scale

Topline scale

Just over four in ten reject the idea that criminals deserve care over punishment.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement? "Our prisons are a shocking disgrace. Criminals are unfortunate people who deserve much better care, instead of so much punishment."

  • Neither agree nor disagree 21.9%
  • Somewhat agree 15.7%
  • Disagree 14.2%
  • Strongly disagree 14.0%
  • Agree 13.1%
  • Somewhat disagree 12.7%
  • Strongly agree 8.4%

2024 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.5%

Verasight Interdisciplinary Omnibus Survey #2024-006

Source report pending

Methodology

Source report pending
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2024-01-18 → 2024-01-24
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.5%
Module
Verasight Interdisciplinary Omnibus Survey #2024-006

Source

  • 01
    Source report pending

Citation

Verasight Interdisciplinary Omnibus Survey #2024-006, fielded January 18-24, 2024, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.5%.

Source report pending

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

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