According to a recent Gallup study, more people in the United States prefer addressing the root causes of crime rather than expanding law enforcement’s footprint. The survey, conducted in October, used several variations in wording to gain a more comprehensive picture of respondents’ views. Regardless of how the question was presented, more than two-thirds (67%) said they would rather address social problems, while less than one-third (29%) favored strengthening or expanding law enforcement.
The study comes amid a national conversation over President Trump sending military forces into U.S. cities to address what he claims are overwhelming waves of crime. On that question, the survey found that 60% oppose and 39% favor sending military troops into the states to fight crime. When the question was clarified to mean National Guard troops, support for the president’s actions rose slightly, with 56% opposing and 41% in favor.
Regarding juvenile crime, the Gallup poll found growing support for treating those ages 14 to 17 who commit violent crimes with more leniency than adults. Half of respondents (50%) said juvenile offenders should receive more lenient sentences, a rate that has more than doubled since Gallup first began measuring the sentiment in 2000. In that first poll, only 24% favored greater leniency for juvenile offenders.
There is, however, a significant partisan divide. Almost two-thirds (65%) of Republicans said violent juvenile offenders should be treated the same as adults, compared with 27% of Democrats who held that view.
More information about the Gallup poll, including a link to the survey’s methodology and complete results, can be found here.
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