Public Attitudes on Crime and Punishment in Oregon

When asked about crime and punishment, Oregon voters strongly support policies that get results. They want evidence of the public safety impact of state policies and they want a solid taxpayer return-on-investment.

As part of the Public Safety Performance Project's work with states to improve public safety and control corrections costs, we collaborated with two of the nation's leading polling firms, The Mellman Group and Public Opinion Strategies, to explore public opinion on sentencing and corrections issues in Oregon.

Key Takeaways

• Oregon voters have little awareness of the state's crime decline or the size of the corrections budget.  
• Voters want corrections dollars to produce public safety results.
• Voters prefer prison spending cuts to cutting funding for other programs or tax increases.
• Voters demonstrate broad support for specific policies that reduce prison populations and spending.