Factors influencing public attitudes toward criminal justice system funding

This study explores the relationship between demographic factors and attitudes toward criminal justice funding in the United States. Specifically, we explore responses from two years of data from the United States General Social Survey, both prior to and after the dramatic events of 2020, during which reformers called for a reduction in funding for law enforcement agencies as a response to high-profile incidents of police violence. We find that while certain demographic traits align with previous understandings of public attitudes toward police funding, the relationship between gender and these attitudes presents a notable exception; race appears less predictive than expected. Additionally, the impact of racially prejudiced views on opinions about law enforcement funding has grown more pronounced over time.