Why public opinion of the criminal justice system is important

Abstract

Allusions to public opinion and its influence in a democratic society are common. Media assumptions of what the public wants in a whole host of areas permeate our daily reading. But the question that few seem to give any consideration to is: why is public opinion important? The answer lies at the heart of our democratic structure: we elect officials to represent us and, as such, we expect them to bear our opinions in mind as they structure policies that guide the way we live. Of course there will be areas that the public take less interest in and areas that interest the public more. The purpose of this chapter is to outline the influence that public opinion seems to have on some of the key areas in the justice system. It also examines the effects of ignoring public opinion, whether public opinion has a justified place in the formation of political policies and whether public opinion adequately summarises people’s thoughts on criminal justice issues.