The criminal justice class of Dr. Leo Barrile is conducting a survey at BloomsburgUniversity.This survey was designed to help us write a research paper that examines people’s attitudes about crime and punishment. There are no right or wrong answers to the questions only what you think.This survey is completely anonymous, there is no way that we can identify any person taking the survey. Your honest responses are greatly appreciated. Please use the scantron sheet to record your responses. Feel free to comment on any of the questions in the space provided at the end.We thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey and helping with our project.Your completing of this survey will be accepted as your consent to participate in this survey. If you are uncomfortable with some of the questions you can decline to answer them. Leave them blank on the scantron. Any questions or concerns about the survey may be directed to Leo Barrile, Department of Sociology, Social Work & Criminal Justice, BloomsburgUniversity, Bloomsburg, PA17815; e-mail:
1. What best describes how often you watch television?
a. never; b. 1-2 hours per day; c. 3-5 hours per day; d. over 5 hours per day.
2. How often do you watch television comedies, such as Everyone Loves Raymond, Seinfeld, Family Guy, The Simpsons, The King of Queens, etc.?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
3. How often do you watch reality television shows, such as Survivor, The Real World, American Idol, etc.?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
4. How often do you watch television crime dramas such as CSI, Law & Order, The Shield, etc?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
5. How often do you watch local television news programs, such as Action News?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
6. How often do you watch national news programs on television, such as CBS Evening News, CNN News, Headline News, MSNBC News?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
7.How often do you read the local newspaper?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
8.How often do you read national newspapers, such as the New York Times, the Washington Post?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
9.How often do you read internet news sources, such as Yahoo News, MSN news?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
10.How often do you listen to radio news?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
11.What is your main source of the news?
a. newspapers; b. news magazines; c. internet; d. radio; e. television.
12.How often do you listen to rap or hip hop music?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
13.How often do you listen to hard rock, punk, or heavy metal music?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
14.How often do you listen to pop, top 40, rock, alternative rock, jazz, country & western music?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
15. How often do you watch sports on television?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
16.How realistic do you think the television news programs are in their coverage of crime?
a. the programs exaggerate crime a lot; b. the programs exaggerate crime a little;
c. the programs get crime just about right; d. the programs underestimate crime.
17. Would you support laws requiring businesses to hire more women and minorities (affirmative action)?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c support, d. strongly support
18. Would you support a federal constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriages?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c. support, d strongly support
19. Would you support using the “three strikes sentencing” law (giving a life sentence to an offender who has committed a third serious crime) for selling illegal drugs?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c. support, d. strongly support
20. Would you support using “three strikes sentencing” law (giving a life sentence for an offender who has committed a third serious crime) for crimes involving illegal possession of guns?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c support, d. strongly support
21. Would you support loosening license and background checks, making it easier to get a gun permit?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c. support, d. strongly support
22. Would you support a lawthat made is easier for illegal immigrants from Mexico to obtain working papers?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c support, d. strongly support
23. Would you support spending more money on the military/armed forces?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c. support, d. strongly support
24. Would you support a law requiring the United States to seek United Nation approval for military actionin cases where the United States is not under direct attack as in Iraq?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c. support, d. strongly support
25. Which of the following best represents your view on allowing abortion for any purpose?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c. support, d. strongly support
26. Which of the following best represents your view on allowing abortion when the health of the mother is in jeopardy?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c. support, d. strongly support
27. Which of the following best represents your view on allowing abortion for rape victims?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c. support, d. strongly support
28. Which of the following best represents your view on limiting the amount of death penalty appeals?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c. support, d. strongly support
29. Which of the following best represents your view on administering the death penalty for first degree murder, such as the killing of a convenience store clerk in a robbery?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c. support, d. strongly support
30. Which of the following best represents your view on administering the death penalty for the rape of a minor or child who is not killed?
a. strongly oppose, b. oppose, c. support, d. strongly support
31. Which of the following best represents your political views?
a. very liberal, b. liberal, c. moderate, d. conservative, e. very conservative
32. Do you believe it is possible for violent offenders to be rehabilitated?
a. none of them can be rehabilitated b. some of them can; c. many of them can;
d. most of them can be rehabilitated.
33. How much would you say you fear having your car stolen?
a. no fear at all; b. very little fear; c. some fear; d. high fear.
34.How much would you say you fear having your home broken into?
a. no fear at all; b. very little fear; c. some fear; d. high fear.
35.How much would you say you fear being seriously violently attacked?
a. no fear at all; b. very little fear; c. some fear; d. high fear.
36.How much would you say you fear being cheated by a business or business person?
a. no fear at all; b. very little fear; c. some fear; d. high fear.
37.Do you think that the amount of crime in society will increase over the next 10 years?
a. crime will decrease greatly; b. crime will decrease somewhat;
c. crime will remain about the same as it is now; d. crime will increase somewhat;
e. crime will increase greatly.
38.Have you or anyone in your household ever been a victim of a property crime, including theft, break-ins, fraud, property destruction, etc.
a. no; b. yes.
39.Have you or anyone in your household been a victim of a property crime in the past year?
a. no; b. yes.
40.Have you or anyone in your household ever been a victim of a serious violent crime, such as a robbery, aggravated assault, sexual assault, murder?
a. no; b. yes.
41.Have you or anyone in your household been a victim of serious violent crime in the last year?
a. no; b. yes.
42.How often do you drink alcoholic beverages in one week?
a. never; b. 1-3 times per week; c. 4-6 times per week; d. every day.
43.What is the maximum number of drinks you consume at one time?
a. none; b. 1-2 drinks; c. 3-5 drinks; d. 6-8 drinks; e. 9 or more drinks.
44.When you drink, what type of alcoholic beverage do you typically drink?
a. none; b. beer; c. wine; d. mixed drinks; e. straight alcohol.
45. Have you ever used marijuana?
a. never; b. very few times; c. sometimes; d. frequently.
46.Would you support the legalization of marijuana?
a. no; b. only for medical purposes; c. yes.
47. Have you ever used any other type of illegal drug other than marijuana?
For example: cocaine, crack, heroin, illegal prescription drugs, PCP, ecstasy, meth,
speed, hallucinogens such as LSD, etc.
a. never; b. very few times; c. sometimes; d. frequently.
48. Have you ever been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol, DUI or DWI?
a. no; b. once; c. more than once.
49. Do you lock the doors of your home?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
50.In hot weather do you leave the windows open in your home?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
51. Do you lock the doors of your car?
a. never; b. seldom; c. frequently; d. every day.
52.How often do you attend religious services?
a. never; b. a few times/year; c. a few times/month; d. every week; e. more than once/week.
53.Do you believe that you have a personal relationship with God?
a. no; b. yes.
54.What is your political party preference?
a. Democrat; b. Independent; c. Republican.
55.How often are you involved in voluntary activities or organizations?
a. never; b. a few times/year; c. a few times/month; d. every week; e. more than once/week.
56.Are you employed or self employed?
a. no; b. retired;c. part time;; d. full time.
57.Are you a student?
a. no; b. part time; c. full time.
58.What is your gender?
a. male; b. female.
59.What is your race?
a. Caucasian; b. Asian; c. Hispanic/Latino; d. African-American; e. other.
60.What is your age?
a. 18-25; b. 26-39; c. 40-59; d. 60 and over.
61.How much education do you have?
a. some high school; b. high school graduate; c. some college;
d. college graduate; e. graduate school degree.
62.Which of the following best represents your family income?
a. under $30,000; b. 30,000 to 59,000; c. 60,000 to 89,000;
d. 90,000 to 119,000; e. 120,000 and above.
63.If you work part time or full time which of the following types of jobs best describes what you do?
a. physical labor and service sectors jobs, such as factory work, construction, trades, waitress, store clerk, etc.
b. white collar work such as office work, working with files, word processing, etc.;
c. jobs requiring specific training or education, such as police officers, nurses, teachers
d. managerial, supervisory, or head of business jobs;
e. jobs requiring advanced degrees, such as lawyers, doctors, professors.
64.Which of the following jobs best describes what your father did for work?
a. physical labor and service sectors jobs, such as factory work, construction, trades, waitress, store clerk, etc.
b. white collar work such as office work, working with files, word processing, etc.;
c. jobs requiring specific training or education, such as police officers, nurses, teachers
d. managerial, supervisory, or head of business jobs;
e. jobs requiring advanced degrees, such as lawyers, doctors, professors.
65.Are any of your relatives involved in work in the criminal justice system, such as a police officer, criminal lawyer, judge, prison or juvenile institution work, etc.?
a. no; b. yes.
66.Were any of your relatives sentenced to prison?
a. no; b. yes.
67.What best describes your marital status?
a. single; b. married; c. remarried; d. widowed; e. divorced.
68.What best describes your parents’ marital status?
a. single; b. married; c. remarried; d. widowed; e. divorced.
69.What is your religious affiliation?
a. none; b. Catholic; c. Protestant; d. Jewish; e. Muslim.
(if your religious affiliation is not listed, please skip)
70.If you are a college student working on a B.A. or B.S. degree, what best describes you?
a. freshman; b. sophomore; c. junior; d. senior.
(if not presently a college student, please skip, if working on an Associate’s degree please choose freshman or sophomore)
Thank you for completing the survey. If you have any comments please use the space below.