Predicting Public Support for Electronic House Arrest

Abstract

This article builds upon an earlier effort to examine citizens' overall support for electronic house arrest (EHA). It explores a variety of demographic and attitudinal factors measured in a survey of residents in Oneida County, New York, and identifies predictors of support for EHA when used with “minor” and “serious” offenders. Survey findings indicate that those who favor the use of EHA with minor offenders have limited faith in the ability of incarceration to reduce crime and view EHA as a cost-effective way of punishing offenders. Those who favor its use with serious offenders tend to be non-White and older and believe that incarceration leads to recidivism. Nevertheless, both groups feel that EHA should also be rehabilitative. The article concludes by discussing the policy implications of this research; particularly the need for correctional decision makers to examine public perceptions when considering the implementation of community corrections programs.