Ideology and crime control policy positions in a state legislature

Abstract

State legislators are central figures in the development of crime control policy, but determinants of lawmakers' positions on crime control issues are not well understood. In this research, the influence of lawmakers' general political orientation, crime control ideology, and other variables were examined in relation to policy views. The study used data collected in a 1985 survey of the membership of the New York state legislature to examine determinants of legislators' positions on several timely policy approaches. Particular attention was devoted to correlates of positions on determinate sentencing, capital punishment, and gun control.