Legislators, as well as the general public like to know what voters think about critical issues. A number of researchers have found the following:

• In 1999, a survey was conducted of 4000 adults in nine Northeastern states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. The survey was conducted by the Council of State Governments, Eastern Regional Conference. When asked whether they liked the idea of totally revaming the way the criminal justice system works, or if the present system works well enough the way it is, three quarters of the public surveyed preferred totally revamping the way the criminal justice system works.

  While punishment outcomes (fines, prison, etc.) were commonly selected as one desired outcome, large segments of the public and crime victims also wanted corrective and rehabilitative outcomes for the crime as well.

  In the case of a drug addicted burglar, 59% said the most important outcome was not going to jail, but rather: placement in a drug treatment program (24%), or pay back for property stolen (20%), or strict supervised probation (6%) or personally acknowlege responsibility (4%) or community service (3%) or pay a fine (1%) or other (2%).

• A 1995 national survey of 1003 Americans by Peter Hart Research Assoc.: More than one third of adults would spend three-quarters of anti-drug funding on prevention, education, and treatment, while 80 percent would spend at least half on these areas. (Currently ony one-third of federal anti-drug funds are spent in these areas.)

• A 1995 survey in Oregon by the Doble Research Assoc.: 92 percent of Oregonians favored alternative community-based punishments for non-violent offenders. 88 percent favored mandatory treatment for offenders with alcohol or drug problems. 96 percent favored restitution to victims from non-violent offenders. 97 percent favored community service for non-violent offenders.

• A 1994 survey of 157 prison wardens in 8 states, sponsored by U.S. Senator Paul Simon: Prison wardens indicated that 50 percent of the offenders under their supervision would not be a danger to society if released. 58 percent of wardens opposed mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders, and 92 percent supported greater use of alternatives to incarceration. .

  Wardens overwhelmingly support prison programs to reduce recidivism.
     89% favor drug treatment
     92% favor vocational training
     93% favor literacy and other educational programs
     74% favor psychological counseling

• Statement from Bobbie Huskey, President American Correctional Association, Dec. 21, 1994: ACA policies promote greater use of sentencing options for non-violent crime which includes a broad range of cost-effective sanctions and punishments that protect public safety. ACA also supports the funding of anti-recidivism measures that increase the educational and vocational skills of inmates, that reduce their dependence on drugs and that place greater emphasis on front-end prevention measures that reduce the number of youth and adults entering America's correctinal systems.

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