Aust, Courts 'out Of Step With Public Opinion’ (Press, 18 November 1986)

A study conducted by the Australian Institute of Criminology has revealed a significant disconnect between public opinion and the views of Australian law-makers and courts regarding the seriousness of various crimes and their corresponding punishments. The survey, which represents the first of its kind in Australia, involved 2,555 participants aged 14 and older who were asked to assess and rank the seriousness of 13 different crimes, using bicycle theft as a baseline for comparison. The findings indicate that Australians have a notably negative perspective on crimes involving violence, as well as those related to industrial and corporate misconduct. In particular, respondents rated crimes such as industrial pollution and employer negligence as more serious than the penalties that are currently in place. Interestingly, male homosexuality was also ranked high on the seriousness scale, despite the fact that consensual homosexual acts are not deemed criminal in most states. The public’s sentiment about welfare fraud was also notable, as welfare cheats were perceived to be more culpable than income tax evaders, even though the monetary extent of tax fraud was higher. Dr Paul Wilson, a criminologist with the institute, highlighted that overall, public views indicated a less punitive stance than is often assumed. For example, concerning the most serious crimes, such as stabbing to death and heroin trafficking, only a minority of respondents expressed support for the death penalty. The survey ranked various crimes in order of perceived seriousness, starting with stabbing to death and heroin trafficking, followed by severe corporate misconduct like knowingly disposing of poisonous waste and negligent harm to workers. Other crimes listed include armed robbery, domestic violence, social security fraud, tax evasion, medicare fraud, private homosexual acts, burglary, shoplifting, and finally, theft of a bicycle. The investigation concluded that judicial and political perspectives regarding crime and punishment often have a greater impact on policy-making than actual public opinion does. The report also noted that the most serious offences typically involve either a threat or an occurrence of physical harm. Moreover, it was pointed out that industrial and corporate crimes might contribute to a higher number of fatalities than violent criminal acts and were rated with more severity than armed robbery. The study revealed few differences in opinions based on gender, although women showed slightly greater concern about issues like domestic violence, workplace safety, and fraud in social security. Additionally, it appeared that individuals with higher levels of education tended to be less concerned about crime overall.

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