Seventy-Five Percent of Americans Worry About Crime

Highlights

When 75 percent of Americans worry about crime, and when related issues of guns and drug use also score high, it’s an indication that those wanting criminal justice reform are facing an uphill battle.

The article provides the latest polling data on crime, citizen concerns, and views of law enforcement.

Author

 Leonard Adam Sipes, Jr.

Retired federal senior spokesperson. Thirty-five years of award-winning public relations for national and state criminal justice agencies. Interviewed multiple times by every national news outlet. Former Senior Specialist for Crime Prevention for the Department of Justice’s clearinghouse. Former Director of Information Services, National Crime Prevention Council. Former Adjunct Associate Professor of criminology and public affairs-University of Maryland, University College. Former advisor to presidential and gubernatorial campaigns. Former advisor to the “McGruff-Take a Bite Out of Crime” national media campaign. Certificate of Advanced Study-Johns Hopkins University. Aspiring drummer.

Article

When 75 percent of Americans worry about crime and violence, and when related issues of guns and drug use also score high, it’s an indication that those wanting criminal justice reform are facing an uphill battle, Gallup.

When you look at polling data from Gallup and additional sources, it’s rare to find numbers as large as these. It’s clear that Americans want assurances that accountability for criminal offenders will be a priority. Organizations desiring to cut the prison population by fifty percent, Cut 50, face an almost insurmountable challenge.

It’s also interesting to note that Americans provide law enforcement with very high marks.

Gallup

Per Gallup, 75 percent of Americans worry about crime and violence which is down from 78 percent this time last year, which was the same as health care, the top concern, Fear of Crime.

Gallup asked those polled if they worried about topics a great deal or a fair amount. This article uses combined scores.

The top concern was health care at 80 percent which was tied by federal spending followed by hunger at 79 percent and crime at 75  percent (chart below).

Drug use came in at 73 percent and the availability of guns at 61 percent.

Increased Satisfaction With Crime Control

Per Gallup, Americans are expressing increased satisfaction as to the nation’s ability to reduce crime. Efforts to reduce or control crime increased by six points from 2017 to 1018. Only the military, terrorism, the status of race relations and the economy had better performance percentages, Increased Satisfaction.

Half of Americans Believe Crime is Very or Extremely Serious

Just under half (49%) of Americans believe the problem of crime in the United States is very or extremely serious — a 10-percentage-point drop from last year’s 59% and the first time the number has been below 50% since 2005, Serious Crime Concerns.

Data on Policing

Per Gallup, 85 percent of Americans either have a great deal or some confidence in law enforcement. The media and Congress are at the bottom of the ratings, Confidence in Law Enforcement.

Gallup’s 2018 Global Law and Order report state that US and Canadian police are the world’s most trusted law enforcement officers, World’s Most Trusted.

More Fear of Crime Data

56 percent of Americans believe that crime needs to be reduced-Pew.

68 percent of Americans believe that crime is increasing-Gallup.

Two-thirds of gun owners say protection from crime is a major reason they own a gun-Pew, Crime in America.

Conclusions-Crime and Fear

There is inconsistency as to the principle indicators of violent crime with reported crime from the FBI down, but there are increases in violence via the National Crime Survey, Violent And Property Crime Rates.

There are indications from Gallup, however, suggesting that some believe that concerns over crime are abating.

But with 75 percent of Americans worrying about crime and violence a great deal or a fair amount, we still have a long way to go.

Every local and national newscast blasts coverage of criminal activity; research indicates that crime is a key topic for reporters and consumers. There are endless crime-related television shows.

But with the uncertainties of national crime figures and improvements in polling data, there may be a glimmer of hope that crime and citizen perceptions may be getting better.

Gallup

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