TY - JOUR
T1 - Pandemic, Politics, and Public Opinion About Crime
AU - Kort-Butler, Lisa A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Support for this project was provided by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Behavioral Health Program of Excellence. The author wishes to acknowledge and thank Dr. Kristen Olson and Dr. Jolene Smyth for access to the Nebraska 2020 Survey on which this study was based.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Georgia State University.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Prior scholarship links ontological insecurities, racial tensions, and health issues to public opinion about crime. This project examined these forces in the context of the 2020 pandemic, racial justice demonstrations, and politics using data from the Nebraska 2020 survey (N = 2775). Pandemic-related insecurities and racial animus were associated with avoiding places in the community, worry about crime, and the belief that police in one's community are underfunded. Trusting politicians but distrusting health leaders, and viewing COVID as an economic threat but not a health threat were associated with the belief police are underfunded. Results suggest that the politicization of the pandemic may influence support for criminal justice policies that promise a return to “law and order.”
AB - Prior scholarship links ontological insecurities, racial tensions, and health issues to public opinion about crime. This project examined these forces in the context of the 2020 pandemic, racial justice demonstrations, and politics using data from the Nebraska 2020 survey (N = 2775). Pandemic-related insecurities and racial animus were associated with avoiding places in the community, worry about crime, and the belief that police in one's community are underfunded. Trusting politicians but distrusting health leaders, and viewing COVID as an economic threat but not a health threat were associated with the belief police are underfunded. Results suggest that the politicization of the pandemic may influence support for criminal justice policies that promise a return to “law and order.”
KW - fear of crime
KW - ontological insecurity
KW - pandemic
KW - police funding
KW - racial threat
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85139565562&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85139565562&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/07340168221131379
DO - 10.1177/07340168221131379
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85139565562
JO - Criminal Justice Review
JF - Criminal Justice Review
SN - 0734-0168
ER -