Promptly after the much-publicized Supreme Court decision in Berghuis v. Thompkins Tuesday, the Rasmussen Poll asked regular folks about Miranda and other crime issues. Toplines here; article here. I was on an L.A. public radio program Wednesday, and a caller made the predictable comment that the right wing Supreme Court was destroying constitutional rights. Well, the country as a whole doesn't see it that way:
3* Some people say that there is a natural tension between protecting individual rights and public safety. In the United States today, does our legal system worry too much about protecting individual rights, too much about public safety, or is the balance about right?
33% Legal system worries too much about protecting individual rights
20% Legal system worries too much about public safety
32% Balance is about right
15% Not sure
Some other interesting results:
The warning requirement is indeed deeply imbedded in the public mind, with 87% in favor of keeping it.
Concerns about too many criminals are being freed swamp those of too many innocent people arrested by nearly 4-to-1.
On a very simply worded question on the death penalty:
The warning requirement is indeed deeply imbedded in the public mind, with 87% in favor of keeping it.
Concerns about too many criminals are being freed swamp those of too many innocent people arrested by nearly 4-to-1.
On a very simply worded question on the death penalty:
8* Do you favor or oppose the death penalty?The people split down the middle when asked if the death penalty deters crime. The question, Mr. Rasmussen, is whether it deters murder.
62% Favor
26% Oppose
12% Not sure
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