New statewide polling shows Louisianans' nuanced views of the justice system, with an overwhelming majority — 86% — supporting prison alternatives such as drug treatment or rehab for people convicted of non-violent crimes.
At the same time, almost half of those surveyed said the system isn't tough enough, and a large majority backed measures such as assistance from Louisiana State Police for local law enforcement, as in New Orleans. Yet 55% said they approved of a package of criminal-justice reforms passed during former Gov. John Bel Edwards' administration aimed at limiting prison populations.
As part of the annual Louisiana Survey, the findings defy easy characterization. But the study's lead researcher said they show the state's openness to a "mixed bag" approach to public safety.
"Even though there's concern about crime, there seems to be a pragmatism of, hey, let's try whatever might work," survey director Michael Henderson said in a phone interview.
Henderson explained that it's common for people to support symbolic, often conservative-leaning ideas, such as "small government" or being "tough on crime." Digging into support for specific policies, however, reveals an openness to many different approaches.
"In the abstract, people are like, yes, we're not tough enough,” he said. “But on specific things, it's like, well, no, maybe we shouldn't just send everybody to prison for any infraction.”
The survey from LSU's Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs is a wide-ranging review that examines beliefs on opinion and policy topics. Researchers first started running the survey in 2003.
This year’s survey polled 511 adults from around the state by telephone in March and April, as well as 540 people by web in a parallel assessment. Its reported conclusions were drawn from phone polling.
Researchers found that, given the choice between more spending on mental health, addiction treatment and other social problems or more spending on law enforcement, 67% of state residents prefer the social programs.
More than half of residents also want more money for their local police department, the survey showed.
For this year's review, the survey added questions about the assistance of State Police and interventions from the state Attorney General's office in some local prosecutions, which Gov. Jeff Landry has championed.
Henderson said the new administration, plus this year's special legislative session on crime — which rolled back key changes from the previous administration, including parole eligibility and how 17-year-olds are charged — made it a good time to dig into public opinion on related topics.
Questions on the perception of crime showed that 72% of residents believe crime has been on the rise in recent years, but only 41% said it has happened in their own communities. A smaller number of people, 12%, said they've personally been the victim of or threatened with a violent crime. Roughly one in five experienced property crime.
Emerging FBI data on crime suggests significant declines in both violent and property crime across the South and the nation in 2023.
In Louisiana, FBI state-level statistics show falling violent crime between 2021 and 2022, but a rise in property crime. Not all local law-enforcement offices report to the federal agency.
Henderson said it's not yet clear why people feel as if crime is on the rise, though relatively few state residents said they experienced crime personally. It could be explained by reports from friends or relatives, exposure to news media, the time it takes for opinions to catch up or something else.
"Is there a disconnect, and is there a disconnect between perception and reality? I don't think we really have an adequate answer to that," he said.
This story was produced by the Gulf States Newsroom, a collaboration between Mississippi Public Broadcasting, WBHM in Alabama, WWNO and WRKF in Louisiana and NPR.
