Texas



Texas

Crime

Poll

This booklet contains questions about your thoughts and experiences with crime and the criminal justice system in TEXAS.

Your cooperation in answering these questions will help in the fight against crime in TEXAS.

Your responses will be treated anonymously. The booklet is numbered so we can keep track of the returns without using your name on the booklet.

Thank you for your help!

Survey Research Program

College of Criminal Justice

Sam Houston State University

-SHSU EMBLAM-

Este folleto contiene preguntas acerca de sus pensamientos y experiencias relacionado con crimen, y el sistema de justicia criminal en TEXAS.

Su cooperación en, respondiendo estas preguntas ayudaría en la pelea del crimen en TEXAS.

Sus repuestas serán tratadas anónimamente. El folleto esta numerado, entonces podemos conservar los retornos sin usar su nombre en el folleto.

Tenemos incluido una versión de el informe en Ingles, pero si usted prefiere tener una copia en español, coloque una “X” en el espacio debajo y retorne este folleto sin responder las preguntas. Nosotros le mandaremos una copia en español inmediatamente.

( Por favor mándeme un versión en español de el instrumento de encuesta. (coloque el folleto sin responder, en el sobre cerrado con nuestra dirección y el correo pre pagado.)

Gracias por su ayuda !

Programa de Recurso de Encuesta

Colegio de Justicia Criminal

Universidad Estado de San Houston

INSTRUCTONS FOR THE TEXAS CRIME POLL

Please read and answer each of the questions included in this booklet. Most of the questions will ask you something like this:

Have you ever used a computer to go “on-line” searching for information about any of the following?

| |Yes |No |

|Information about crime rates. |( |( |

|Information about convicted sex offenders. |( |( |

|Information about how the criminal justice system works. |( |( |

You should indicate your response by placing a mark in the space marked with a ( that best represents your answer. For example, if you have never gone on-line to search for information about any of the items, your response would look like this:

| |Yes |No |

|Information about crime rates. |( |( |

|Information about convicted sex offenders. |( |( |

|Information about how the criminal justice system works. |( |( |

Please answer every question. If you want to “explain” your selection for any items please use the last page of this booklet to do so.

If you have any particular questions or would like to talk to the Director of the Survey Research Program (Dr. Dennis R. Longmire) he can be reached by telephone at 936.294.1651 or by e-mail at Longmire@shsu.edu

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated and will help in crime prevention and crime control efforts in the state of Texas. Thanks for your contribution.

SECTION 1: CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION NEEDS

First, we would like to learn a little about your thoughts on criminal justice education, training, and information needs.

1.1 When you think about the minimum amount of education or training that should be required before a person can work in the following criminal justice positions, what do you think should be the minimum requirements? (Please select the one response that best represents your thoughts about the minimum education levels required for each of the following criminal justice workers and mark in the appropriate space beside them.)

| |Specialized |Specialized |Specialized |Specialized |Specialized |

| |Training Only |Training |Training and |Training and |Training and |

| | |and College |Criminal Justice|Graduate Degree |Graduate Degree |

| | |Degree |Degree | |in Criminal |

| | | | | |Justice |

|Local Police |( |( |( |( |( |

|Officers | | | | | |

|Local Sheriff’s |( |( |( |( |( |

|Deputies | | | | | |

|State level Police |( |( |( |( |( |

|Officers (D.P.S. | | | | | |

|Officers) | | | | | |

|Probation Officers |( |( |( |( |( |

|Prison Guards |( |( |( |( |( |

|Parole Officers |( |( |( |( |( |

1.2 Have you ever used a computer to go “on-line” to search for any of the following?

| |Yes |No |

|Information about crime rates. |( |( |

|Information about convicted sex offenders. |( |( |

|Information about how the criminal justice system works. |( |( |

|Information about policing. |( |( |

|Information about the court system. |( |( |

|Information about the probation or “community supervision” system. |( |( |

|Information about prisons. |( |( |

|Information about the parole system. |( |( |

|Information about the death penalty. |( |( |

|Information about particular laws. |( |( |

| Please specify which laws: | | |

| | | |

| | | |

SECTION 2: TREATMENT OF ANIMALS AND RELATED ISSUES

Now we would like to learn a little about your thoughts on the treatment of animals and some other related issues. First, please answer a few questions regarding your personal experiences.

2.1 Have you witnessed anyone intentionally inflicting pain or suffering on an animal over the last five years?

( No

( Yes( Did you report this incident to the police, an animal welfare agency, or other authorities?

( Yes

( No( Why not? _________________________________

2.2 Do you have a household pet?

( No

( Yes( What type of pet? ____________________________________

2.3 Now, please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.

| |Strongly |Agree |Neither |Disagree |Strongly |

| |Agree | |Agree nor | |Disagree |

| | | |Disagree | | |

|Police should not waste their time responding to calls|( |( |( |( |( |

|about animal cruelty or animal abuse. | | | | | |

|The courts should take cases of animal cruelty as |( |( |( |( |( |

|seriously as they do cases of violence against humans.| | | | | |

|Because pets are an individuals' property, the law |( |( |( |( |( |

|should not intervene on owners' actions and treatment | | | | | |

|of their pets. | | | | | |

|The abuse of animals is not a social problem because |( |( |( |( |( |

|humans are not the victims. | | | | | |

|Humans need animals to survive (for food, clothing, |( |( |( |( |( |

|etc.), therefore killing animals for these purposes is| | | | | |

|not wrong. | | | | | |

|Humans are a "higher order" species, therefore it is |( |( |( |( |( |

|our right to use animals to satisfy our needs and | | | | | |

|desires. | | | | | |

|Intentional and malicious torture or killing of an |( |( |( |( |( |

|animal should be a felony. | | | | | |

|Willful neglect (failing to provide adequate food, |( |( |( |( |( |

|water, shelter, etc.) of an animal should be a felony.| | | | | |

|An animal's right to live free of suffering should be |( |( |( |( |( |

|just as important as a person's right to live free of | | | | | |

|suffering. | | | | | |

4. When you think about each of the following actions, what (if any) punishment do you think should be given to people who do the following?

| |No Punishment |Fine |Probation |Jail (up |Prison (More |

| | | | |to one |than one year)|

| | | | |year) | |

|Intentionally running over a cat or dog |( |( |( |( |( |

|with a car. | | | | | |

|Killing an endangered species for sport. |( |( |( |( |( |

|Failing to provide adequate food and water |( |( |( |( |( |

|for a pet. | | | | | |

|Working a farm animal to the point of |( |( |( |( |( |

|exhaustion. | | | | | |

|Working a farm animal until they can no |( |( |( |( |( |

|longer stand up. | | | | | |

|Hitting a pet with a stick or other similar|( |( |( |( |( |

|object. | | | | | |

|Kicking a pet. |( |( |( |( |( |

|Slapping a pet. |( |( |( |( |( |

|Hitting a pet with a closed fist. |( |( |( |( |( |

|Locking a pet in a cage for more than 10 |( |( |( |( |( |

|hours without food or water. | | | | | |

|Tying a pet up outside without food and |( |( |( |( |( |

|water. | | | | | |

|Intentionally causing one animal to fight |( |( |( |( |( |

|with another | | | | | |

|Intentionally harming or killing another |( |( |( |( |( |

|person's pet. | | | | | |

|Intentionally harming or killing another |( |( |( |( |( |

|person's livestock. | | | | | |

|Engaging in sexual activity with an animal.|( |( |( |( |( |

5. For the following items please indicate (by circling the associated number), on a scale from 1 to 10, the degree to which you feel the described activity is acceptable (10 indicates completely acceptable; 1 indicates completely unacceptable).

| |Completely | | | | |Completely |

| |Unacceptable | | | | |Acceptable |

|Painful experiments on animals that produce |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |6 |

|information about human health problems. | | | | | | |

|Experiments conducted on rats. |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |

|There are times when it is acceptable for partners in a |( |( |( |( |( |

|romantic relationship to hit each other during an | | | | | |

|argument. | | | | | |

|Women who are raped are often just as much to blame as |( |( |( |( |( |

|the men who raped them. | | | | | |

|Men who are violent towards their partners may, |( |( |( |( |( |

|nonetheless, be very good fathers. | | | | | |

|Witnessing violence between parents has few long-term |( |( |( |( |( |

|effects on children. | | | | | |

|It is never acceptable for a teacher to hit a student – |( |( |( |( |( |

|with a paddle or otherwise – even for disciplinary | | | | | |

|purposes. | | | | | |

|Because children are so poorly behaved these days, |( |( |( |( |( |

|parents need to use more physical punishment to control | | | | | |

|their behavior. | | | | | |

| |

|2.7 (Continued) Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.|

| |Strongly |Agree |Neither |Disagree |Strongly |

| |Agree | |Agree nor | |Disagree |

| | | |Disagree | | |

|It is acceptable in certain circumstances for parents to|( |( |( |( |( |

|hit or slap their children when the child has | | | | | |

|misbehaved. | | | | | |

|When gay couples publicly display their affection for |( |( |( |( |( |

|each other, they are just asking for trouble. | | | | | |

|Groups like the KKK and Neo-nazis should not be allowed |( |( |( |( |( |

|to terrorize minority groups. | | | | | |

|The ownership and possession of both handguns and |( |( |( |( |( |

|automatic weapons should be more strictly monitored and | | | | | |

|regulated by the government. | | | | | |

|There is no real reason why the average citizen should |( |( |( |( |( |

|own a handgun or assault rifle. | | | | | |

|People should be able to use whatever means (e.g., guns)|( |( |( |( |( |

|necessary to defend their property. | | | | | |

|The best way to train an animal is through physical |( |( |( |( |( |

|force. | | | | | |

|There is too much violence on TV. |( |( |( |( |( |

|Pornography shouldn’t be a source of concern because |( |( |( |( |( |

|it’s not hurting anybody involved. | | | | | |

|A criminal should be subjected to whatever act he/she |( |( |( |( |( |

|committed (e.g., a rapist should be raped, a murderer | | | | | |

|should be murdered). After all, it’s just “an eye for an| | | | | |

|eye.” | | | | | |

|Violence between inmates should not be a concern of |( |( |( |( |( |

|prison administration because they’re only hurting | | | | | |

|themselves. | | | | | |

|Sometimes the bombing of an international enemy is |( |( |( |( |( |

|justified, even if civilians in that country are killed.| | | | | |

|Justice may have been harsh in the Old West, but things |( |( |( |( |( |

|worked better then than they do today. | | | | | |

|Hazing and initiation rites by fraternities or sports |( |( |( |( |( |

|teams are usually “all in good fun.” | | | | | |

|Watching people physically fight is often exciting. |( |( |( |( |( |

|Backing down from a fight is cowardly and dishonorable. |( |( |( |( |( |

|Sometimes physical violence is acceptable just to make a|( |( |( |( |( |

|point. | | | | | |

SECTION 3: ISSUES RELATED TO EVIDENCE USED IN PROSECUTION AND SENTENCING OF CRIMINAL OFFENDERS

Next we are interested in what you think about the quality of different kinds of information used during the processing of criminal cases. Please read each of the following and indicate which response comes closest to matching your own thoughts about each of the following items.

3.1 If you were serving as a juror on a criminal case, how much confidence do you think you would you have in the accuracy of testimony presented by each of the following “expert witnesses?”

|Witness’s Area of Specialization: |A lot of |Some |Little |No |

| |Confidence |Confidence |Confidence |Confidence |

|• DNA experts |( |( |( |( |

|• forensic pathologists |( |( |( |( |

|• forensic ballistics experts |( |( |( |( |

|• forensic “crime scene” re-creation experts |( |( |( |( |

|• criminal profilers |( |( |( |( |

|• psychiatric testimony regarding sanity/insanity |( |( |( |( |

|• psychiatric testimony regarding competency |( |( |( |( |

|• psychiatric and psychological testimony regarding future|( |( |( |( |

|dangerousness | | | | |

3.2 Do you think there should be a specialized certification program required for the following areas of criminal justice specialization?

| |Yes |No |

|• DNA experts |( |( |

|• forensic pathologists |( |( |

|• forensic ballistics experts |( |( |

|• forensic “crime scene” re-creation experts |( |( |

|• criminal profilers |( |( |

|• psychiatric experts focusing on sanity/insanity |( |( |

|• psychiatric experts focusing on competency |( |( |

|• psychiatric and psychological experts focusing on future dangerousness |( |( |

3.3 If you were a juror on a capital murder trial, would your attitudes about the death penalty influence any of the following:

a. Your willingness to consider voting for the death penalty?

( Yes

( No

b. Your ability to be fair and impartial in deciding the question of guilt?

( Yes

( No

c. You would __________ vote to impose the death penalty for guilty capital defendants?

( Always

( Never

( It depends.

3.4 Should people who are mentally disordered be more likely or less likely to receive a death sentence if convicted of capital murder?

( More likely

( Less likely

( It shouldn’t matter.

3.5 Should people who are diagnosed as psychopaths (generally characterized as remorseless, manipulative, self-centered, etc.) be more or less likely to receive a death penalty if convicted of capital murder?

( More likely

( Less likely

( It shouldn’t matter.

3.6 Imagine that you are a juror deciding on the penalty in a capital murder case, and you hear testimony that an offender is a psychopath. Would this testimony influence your decision about the penalty?

( No

( Yes( Would this testimony make you more or less likely to give a death sentence?

( More likely

( Less likely

3.7 Again, assuming the role of a capital juror, you hear testimony that an offender is a psychopath. However, the defense attorney also calls an expert to testify that psychopaths are not necessarily more violent than other inmates. Would this testimony influence your decision about the penalty?

( No

( Yes ( Would this testimony make you more or less likely to give a death sentence?

( More

( Less

3.8 How would you describe the safety of today's public schools?

( much less safe than 10 yrs ago

( less safe than 10 yrs ago

( about the same as 10 yrs ago

( safer than 10 yrs ago

( much safer than 10 yrs ago

3.9 How knowledgeable or aware do you think public school children are about what to do when they hear about potential violence at school?

( not at all knowledgeable/aware

( somewhat knowledgeable/aware

( highly knowledgeable/aware

3.10 What consequences would you advocate for students who threaten violence in public schools?

( automatic expulsion

( out of school suspension

( detention/in school suspension

( psychological consultation only

( nothing

SECTION 4: SPECIAL ISSUES RELATED TO CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

This is the final section of the survey and it includes questions designed to gain information about your experiences and thoughts about several issues that are currently of interest to criminal justice professionals. Please read each of the following statements and select the response that best represents your experiences and/or thoughts.

DWI Experiences and/or Support for Changes in Sanctions

4.1 Do you have any personal or general knowledge of any of the following scenarios?

| |Yes |No |

|I personally know someone in my town/city who was injured by a drunk driver. |( |( |

|One of my family members has been arrested for drunk driving. |( |( |

|I personally know someone in my town/city who was killed by a drunk driver. |( |( |

|I have a close friend who was injured by a drunk driver. |( |( |

|I have a close friend who was killed by a drunk driver. |( |( |

|A family member was injured by a drunk driver. |( |( |

|A family member was killed by a drunk driver. |( |( |

|I have been physically injured by a drunk driver. |( |( |

4.2 The following is a list of policies concerning the subject of alcohol abuse that potentially could be developed. Please tell us how strongly you either favor or oppose each one.

| |Strongly |Somewhat |Somewhat |Strongly |Don’t |

| |Favor |Favor |Oppose |Oppose |Know |

|A tax increase of five cents per drink on |( |( |( |( |( |

|beer, wine and liquor to pay for programs that| | | | | |

|prevent minors from drinking? | | | | | |

|A tax increase of five cents per drink on |( |( |( |( |( |

|beer, wine and liquor to pay for alcohol | | | | | |

|treatment programs? | | | | | |

|A tax increase of five cents per drink on |( |( |( |( |( |

|beer, wine and liquor to pay for alcohol | | | | | |

|rehabilitation programs? | | | | | |

|A law forbidding the sale of all beer, wine |( |( |( |( |( |

|and liquor throughout the nation? | | | | | |

|A law that punished teenagers who tested |( |( |( |( |( |

|positive for any amount of alcohol in their | | | | | |

|blood? | | | | | |

|A law that penalizes adults who illegally give|( |( |( |( |( |

|alcohol to teenagers? | | | | | |

|What if funds raised by increasing alcohol |( |( |( |( |( |

|taxes were used for many government purpose, | | | | | |

|not just prevention programs or alcohol | | | | | |

|treatment programs? How strongly would you | | | | | |

|favor or oppose raising the tax? | | | | | |

4.3 How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

| |Strongly |Agree |Neither Agree |Disagree |Strongly |

| |Agree | |nor Disagree | |Disagree |

|Stiffer punishments for teenagers who are |( |( |( |( |( |

|caught drinking will discourage them from | | | | | |

|getting alcohol. | | | | | |

|Many kids who start using alcohol do so |( |( |( |( |( |

|because of peer pressure and in the belief | | | | | |

|that it’s cool and the grownup thing to do.| | | | | |

|I think the government should take steps to|( |( |( |( |( |

|reduce teenage drinking. | | | | | |

Police Use of Force

4.4 Do you have any personal or general knowledge of any of the following scenarios?

| |Yes |No |

|I personally know someone who has been hit or beaten by a law enforcement officer in |( |( |

|the last year. | | |

|I personally know someone who has been hit or beaten by a law enforcement officer in |( |( |

|the last year without probable cause and the officer received no form of reprimand. | | |

|I have been hit or beaten by a law enforcement officer in the last year. |( |( |

|I have been hit or beaten by a law enforcement officer in the last year without |( |( |

|probable cause and the officer received no form of reprimand. | | |

|I personally know someone who has been sprayed with pepper spray by a law enforcement |( |( |

|officer in the last year. | | |

|I personally know someone who has been sprayed with pepper spray by a law enforcement |( |( |

|officer in the last year without probable cause and the officer received no form of | | |

|reprimand. | | |

|I have personally been sprayed with pepper spray by a law enforcement officer in the |( |( |

|past year. | | |

|I have personally been sprayed with pepper spray by a law enforcement officer in the |( |( |

|past year without probable cause and the officer received no form of reprimand. | | |

|I personally know someone who has been shot by a Law Enforcement Officer in the past |( |( |

|year. | | |

|I personally know someone who has been shot by a Law Enforcement Officer in the past |( |( |

|year without probable cause and the officer received no form of reprimand. | | |

|A Law Enforcement Officer has personally shot me in the past year. |( |( |

|A Law Enforcement Officer has personally shot me in the past year without probable |( |( |

|cause and the officer received no form of reprimand. | | |

|I personally know someone who was killed by a law enforcement officer in the last |( |( |

|year. | | |

| |

|4.4 (Continued) Do you have any personal or general knowledge of any of the following scenarios? |

| |Yes |No |

|I personally know someone who was killed by a law enforcement officer in the last year|( |( |

|without probable cause and the officer received no form of reprimand. | | |

|I personally know someone who has been threatened with physical force by a law |( |( |

|enforcement officer in the last year. | | |

|I personally know someone who has been threatened with physical force by a law |( |( |

|enforcement officer in the last year without probable cause and the officer received | | |

|no form of reprimand. | | |

|A law enforcement officer has personally threatened me with physical force in the past|( |( |

|year. | | |

|A law enforcement officer has personally threatened me with physical force in the past|( |( |

|year without probable cause and the officer received no form of reprimand. | | |

|The use of a nightstick on a nonviolent protestor is more violent than the use of |( |( |

|pepper spray. | | |

|The use of pepper spray on a nonviolent protestor is more violent than using bodily |( |( |

|force (restraining an individual by hand) | | |

Racial Profiling

4.5 Please indicate the degree to which you agree or disagree with each of the following.

| |Strongly | |Neither |Disagree |Strongly |

| |Agree |Agree |Agree nor | |Disagree |

| | | |Disagree | | |

|Law Enforcement Officers target specific |( |( |( |( |( |

|racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. | | | | | |

|Black people commit more crimes than White |( |( |( |( |( |

|and Hispanic people. | | | | | |

|White people commit more crimes than Black |( |( |( |( |( |

|and Hispanic people. | | | | | |

|Hispanic people commit more crimes than Black|( |( |( |( |( |

|and White people | | | | | |

|Poor people commit more crimes than middle |( |( |( |( |( |

|and upper class people. | | | | | |

|Middle and upper class people commit more |( |( |( |( |( |

|crimes than the lower (poor) class. | | | | | |

|If a single law enforcement officer is found |( |( |( |( |( |

|to be targeting a specific race, ethnicity or| | | | | |

|socioeconomic class disproportionately more | | | | | |

|than others they should be fired. | | | | | |

4.5 (Continued) Please indicate the degree to which you agree or disagree with each of the following.

| |Strongly | |Neither |Disagree |Strongly |

| |Agree |Agree |Agree nor | |Disagree |

| | | |Disagree | | |

|If a single law enforcement officer is found |( |( |( |( |( |

|to be targeting a specific race, ethnicity or| | | | | |

|socioeconomic class disproportionately more | | | | | |

|than others they should be punished but not | | | | | |

|fired. | | | | | |

|If a single law enforcement officer is found |( |( |( |( |( |

|to be targeting a specific race, ethnicity or| | | | | |

|socioeconomic class disproportionately more | | | | | |

|than others nothing should be done to them. | | | | | |

|If several (2 or more) law enforcement |( |( |( |( |( |

|officers from the same department are found | | | | | |

|to be targeting a specific race, ethnicity or| | | | | |

|socioeconomic class disproportionately more | | | | | |

|than others the chief should be fired and the| | | | | |

|department placed under investigation. | | | | | |

|If several (2 or more) law enforcement |( |( |( |( |( |

|officers from the same department are found | | | | | |

|to be targeting a specific race, ethnicity or| | | | | |

|socioeconomic class disproportionately more | | | | | |

|than others the chief and the department | | | | | |

|should be placed under investigation. | | | | | |

|Focusing law enforcement efforts on specific |( |( |( |( |( |

|racial, ethnic or socioeconomic classes is | | | | | |

|needed. | | | | | |

|Focusing law enforcement efforts on specific |( |( |( |( |( |

|racial, ethnic or socioeconomic classes is | | | | | |

|wrong. | | | | | |

The Death Penalty

|4.6 How much confidence do you have that |A lot of |Some Confidence|Little |No Confidence|

|death penalty system in Texas: |Confidence | |Confidence | |

|protects innocent people from being |( |( |( |( |

|executed | | | | |

|is being imposed fairly on poor people |( |( |( |( |

|is imposed fairly on members of minority |( |( |( |( |

|groups; | | | | |

| | | | | |

|4.7 How confident are you that people |( |( |( |( |

|charged with capital murder in Texas | | | | |

|receive competent legal representation | | | | |

|during their trial? | | | | |

|4.8 How confident are you that people |( |( |( |( |

|convicted of capital crimes in Texas have | | | | |

|acceptable levels of access to the appeal | | | | |

|process? | | | | |

| | | | | |

|4.9 Do you think there should be a “moratorium”’ on Texas's executions (a period of |Yes |No |

|time during which there are no people executed in Texas) until the system can be | | |

|studied to make sure the system: | | |

|protects innocent people from being executed? |( |( |

|is being imposed fairly on poor people? |( |( |

|is imposed fairly on members of minority groups? |( |( |

|insures that people charged with capital crimes get competent legal representation |( |( |

|during their trials? | | |

|insures that people convicted of capital crimes have acceptable levels of access to |( |( |

|the appeal process? | | |

|4.10 Do you think Texas should enact a law specifically prohibiting the execution of |( |( |

|mentally retarded offenders? | | |

|4.11 Do you support the death penalty for the crime of murder? |( |( |

|4.12 Would you support a law establishing a “true life sentence without the |( |( |

|possibility for parole” as an option in addition to retaining the death penalty? | | |

|4.13 Would you support a law establishing a “true life sentence without the |( |( |

|possibility for parole” that would replace the death penalty? | | |

SECTION 5: DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

Finally, we would like to ask some questions about you?

1. What was your age at your last birthday? ____________ (record exact number)

5.2 Which of the following best describes your racial or ethnic group?

( White

( Black

( Hispanic

( Bi-racial

( Multi-racial

( Other

( Don't know

5.3 What was the last grade of school you completed?

( Grade 0 - 4

( Grade 5 - 8

( Grade 9 - 11, some high school

( Grade 12, high school graduate

( Some college, business or trade school work

( College graduate

( Graduate work

( Don't know

5.4 On average, how would you consider your computer usage?

( None (SKIP TO 5.5)

( Low

( Moderate

( Frequent

( Don't know

5.4.1 During a typical week, how many hours do you spend using the internet or the "World Wide Web?"

(record exact number) ____________

5.5 From which one source do you get most of your news about crime?

( Television

( Newspapers

( Co-workers

( Friends

( Neighbors

( Other (Please specify: _______________________)

( Don't know

5.6 What political party most closely represents your feelings?

( Republican

( Democrat

( Independent

( Other (Please specify: _______________________)

( Don't know

5.7 Which of the following most closely reflects the size of your community?

( Rural

( Small town

( Small city

( Suburb

( Urban

( Don't know

5.9 What is your religious preference?

( Protestant

( Catholic

( Jewish

( Other (Please specify: _______________________)

( Don't know

5.10 Please indicate your annual household income by selecting the most appropriate choice below:

( Less than $15,000

( Between $15, 000 and $30,000

( Between $30,000 and $60,000

( Over $60,000

( Don't know

5.11 Are you a male or a female?

( Male

( Female

5.12 Finally, in the fall we will be conducting a special “Legislative Issues Survey” designed to help identify criminal justice related issues that are of special interest to Texans and would like to include you in that survey. Is it alright with you for us to send you another survey instrument in the fall?

( Yes

( No

That completes the survey. Returning this survey indicates informed consent on part of the respondent. Please return it right away by placing it in the enclosed self addressed, envelope. POSTAGE HAS BEEN PRE-PAID.

Again, your participation is very important and greatly appreciated. We thank you for your cooperation.

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