Public opinion is vital to the functioning of the criminal justice system but it is not at all clear how best to establish what this is, and what views people have on different aspects of criminal justice and the criminal justice system. Politicians and the media often assume that the public wants harsher, tougher and longer sentences, and policies may be shaped accordingly. Detailed research and more specific polling often tells a different story. This book is concerned to shed further light on the nature of public views on criminal justice, paying particular attention to public opinion towar.     Read more...      Front Cover; Prelims; Contents; List of abbreviations; Notes on contributors; Preface; Part 1 Public Opinion: Its Formation and Function; Chapter 1 The psychology of attitudes and persuasion; Chapter 2 Why public opinion of the criminal justice system is important; Chapter 3 What shapes public opinion of the criminal justice system?; Chapter 4 The myth of public support for capital punishment; Chapter 5 Achieving accurate assessment of attitudes toward the criminal justice system: methodological issues; Part 2 Public Opinion: Victims and Offenders. Chapter 6 The typical rape: factors affecting victims' decision to reportChapter 7 Attitudes towards victims of crime: a double-edged sword?; Chapter 8 Public attitudes towards offending, offenders and reintegration; Chapter 9 Attitudes towards sexual offenders and their rehabilitation: a special case?; Chapter 10 Stigma and offenders with mental illness; Index

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