Embargoed

Poll of Police Chiefs

Conducted by George Mason University Professors

Stephen D. Mastrofski, Director of the Administration of Justice Program, and Scott Keeter, Chair of the Department of Public and International Affairs.

1. Which of these statements comes closer to your view?

Statements:

Expanding after-school programs and educational child care programs like Head Start would greatly reduce youth crime and violence.

Expanding after-school programs and educational child care programs like Head Start would have little impact on youth crime and violence.

 

86% said: "Would greatly reduce youth crime and violence."

14% said: "Would have little ipact on youth crime and violence."

2. Which of these strategies do you think is most effective?*

69%- Provide more after-school programs and educational child care programs.

17%- Prosecute more juveniles as adults.

13%- Hire more police officers to investigate juvenile crimes.

1%- Install more metal detectors and surveillance cameras in schools.

 

* In order to guide elected officials please rank the following four strategies. Place a “1” next to the approach you think will ultimately have the biggest impact in reducing youth violence, a “2” for the next most effective, and so forth. (Please rank all strategies and do not give the same ranking to more than one strategy). [Percentages shown are those ranked “1”.]

 

3. Which of these statements comes closer to your view?

Statements:

If America does not make greater investments in after-school and educational child care programs to help children and youth now, we will pay far more later in crime, welfare, and other costs.

If America makes greater investments in after-school and educational child care programs to help children and youth now, the cost of these programs will not be worth the payoff later.

 

91%- We pay far more later.

9%- Not worth the payoff later.

 

4. The Police Chiefs were asked “Please rate the following strategies on a scale of 1 to 5 on their value as a crime prevention tool.” This chart shows the percentage for each strategy that received a “1” rating by the Police Chiefs.

The poll was conducted for Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, from October 14^th through the 27^th, 1999. 855 Chiefs were surveyed, from a sample including all 255 Chiefs from cities over 100,000, and a random sample of 600 Chiefs serving smaller cities. 566 Chiefs responded to the survey (66%), and the margin of error was 5%.