The Division of Public Opinion & Policy seeks to provide an intellectual home for all scientists who are interested in the study of the nature, sources, and policy impacts of public opinion about crime and criminal justice. The intent is to provide a forum for the dissemination of scientific knowledge and for engagement in public criminology. A collateral goal is to attract to our members and ASC the wealth of social science researchers in related disciplines—especially political science, sociology, public health, and communications—now engaged in public opinion research on crime-related policy issues.
Our Five Objectives
- To advance the scientific understanding of the nature of public opinion and its implications for crime and justice policy.
- To educate researchers on extant interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological developments in the study of public opinion and their implications for criminological inquiry.
- To provide a forum for the presentation and dissemination of scientific knowledge on public opinion and policy.
- To engage in public criminology so as to share policy-relevant public opinion with concerned stakeholders, ranging from community members to elected officials.
- To serve as a means for mentoring students and early-career-stage scholars in the study of public opinion research.