Public opinion and prison conditions in Canada: The relationship between attitudes and knowledge.

Abstract

This thesis explores the relationship between attitudes and knowledge, and assesses the impact of factual information on attitudes on the topic of prison conditions in Canada. A questionnaire, distributed to a non-representative sample of volunteer first year criminology students, forms the basis of this research. The questionnaire incorporated an attitude scale, measuring respondent "punitiveness", and a knowledge scale, measuring the accuracy of factual information concerning prison conditions at the disposal of respondents. The questionnaire was comprised of both global and specific questions and included an experimental manipulation (i.e., case scenarios). Respondents were supportive of both punitive and progressive penal policies and practices. Study participants were familiar with the general facets of prison life, but lacked information on penal policies, prisoner health issues, prisoners' rights, and release from prison. The results of this research do not support a relationship between attitudes and knowledge. Respondents held particular attitudes concerning prison conditions regardless of the amount or accuracy of factual information at their disposal. Participant assessments of penal severity were positively associated with their perceptions of sentencing severity. However, this research indicates that this relationship is spurious. An underlying individual trait, "punitiveness", influenced both attitudes towards sentencing and attitudes towards prison conditions. Respondents favouring punitive penal practices were more likely to appraise prison conditions and sentencing practices as lax. This research also indicates that providing participants with factual information via case scenarios does not alter their opinions. Respondents receiving global questions and those receiving case scenarios expressed statistically similar perceptions of prison conditions. Further, manipulating offence severity within the case scenarios did not alter participant perceptions of prison conditions. However, factual information, in the form of case scenarios, strengthens the relationship between "punitiveness" and perceptions of criminal justice leniency.