Key Findings From a National Survey

Conducted October 7-11, 2015

Methodology
On behalf of Families Against Mandatory Minimums,
Public Opinion Strategies conducted a survey of 800
registered voters nationwide. Four hundred and eighty
interviews were administered by landline and 320
among cell phone users.
The survey was conducted October 7-11, 2015 and has
a margin of error of + 3.46%.

FAMM NATIONAL PRESENTATION OCTOBER 2015

Fully three-quarters of Americans favor

eliminating mandatory minimum prison sentences
for nonviolent offenders so that judges can make
decisions on a case-by-case basis.
As you may know, some crimes carry an automatic mandatory minimum prison sentence of a certain
number of years, regardless of the circumstances of the crime. Would you favor or oppose eliminating
mandatory minimum prison sentences for nonviolent offenders so that judges have the ability to make
sentencing decisions on a casebycase basis?

+58

77%

50%
Strongly

19%
Favor

Oppose
Total

FAMM NATIONAL PRESENTATION OCTOBER 2015

Voters across partisan and ideological lines

are supportive.
As you may know, some crimes carry an automatic mandatory minimum prison sentence of a certain number of
years, regardless of the circumstances of the crime. Would you favor or oppose eliminating mandatory minimum
prison sentences for nonviolent offenders so that judges have the ability to make sentencing decisions on a
casebycase basis?

By Ideology

By Party

+44

+60

+73

+34

+51

86%
76%

71%

40%
Str

60%
Str

49%
Str

37%
Str

27%
16%
Str

16%

31%

13%

21%
Str

+79
89%

80%

73%

65%

+63

62%
Str

51%
Str

45%
Str

22%

17%

10%

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

GOP
(36%)

IND
(20%)

DEM
(41%)

Very
Cons.
(19%)

Somewhat
Cons.
(19%)

Moderate
(35%)

Liberal
(24%)

FAMM NATIONAL PRESENTATION OCTOBER 2015

And, both younger and older Americans support

this approach.
As you may know, some crimes carry an automatic mandatory minimum prison sentence of a certain
number of years, regardless of the circumstances of the crime. Would you favor or oppose eliminating
mandatory minimum prison sentences for nonviolent offenders so that judges have the ability to make
sentencing decisions on a casebycase basis?
By Age

+63

+66
82%

80%

17%
Fav

79%

56%
Strong

52%
Strong

Opp

18-34
(29%)

+63

50%
Strong

16%
Fav

Opp

35-44
(11%)

+52
75%

73%

48%
Strong

45%
Strong

23%

16%
Fav

Opp

45-54
(16%)

+53

Fav

Opp

55-64
(25%)

FAMM NATIONAL PRESENTATION OCTOBER 2015

20%
Fav

Opp

65+
(19%)

By a three-to-one margin, Americans would be more

likely to re-elect their Congressman if they knew they
supported eliminating mandatory minimum prison
sentences so judges can make decisions on
a case-by-case basis.
And, if you learned that your U.S. Congressman supported eliminating mandatory minimum prison
sentences for nonviolent offenders so that judges have the ability to make sentencing decisions on a
casebycase basis, would you be more likely or less likely to reelect them, or would it make no difference
to your vote?

+29

42%
18% Much

13%

More Likely

Less Likely
Total

FAMM NATIONAL PRESENTATION OCTOBER 2015

Three target electoral audiences White Women,

Hispanics and Independents would all be more
likely to re-elect their Congressman.
And, if you learned that your U.S. Congressman supported eliminating mandatory minimum prison
sentences for nonviolent offenders so that judges have the ability to make sentencing decisions on a
casebycase basis, would you be more likely or less likely to reelect them, or would it make no difference
to your vote?
By White Women/Hispanics/Independents

+29

+39

+26

43%

40%
15%
Much

11%

More

Less

White Women
(38%)

39%

22%
Much
More

4%

Less

Hispanic
(10%)

FAMM NATIONAL PRESENTATION OCTOBER 2015

17%
Much

13%

More

Less
IND
(20%)

And, theres overwhelming agreement that the

federal government is spending too much on
locking up nonviolent offenders and should shift
that funding to other priorities.
And, do you agree or disagree with the following statement...
The federal government is spending too much money on locking up nonviolent offenders and should shift
that funding to other pressing public safety priorities like local law enforcement, victims services, and
stricter probation and parole.

+63
79%

50%
Strongly

16%
Agree

Disagree
Total

FAMM NATIONAL PRESENTATION OCTOBER 2015

Voters across partisan and ideological lines agree.

And, do you agree or disagree with the following statement...
The federal government is spending too much money on locking up nonviolent offenders and should shift
that funding to other pressing public safety priorities like local law enforcement, victims services, and
stricter probation and parole.
By Ideology

By Party

+45

+58

+81

+24

37%
Str

+85

82%

81%

75%
64%
Str

64%
Str

59%

45%
Str

25%

+70

91%

89%
70%

+64

38%
Str

17%
8%

35%
24%
Str

49%
Str

46%
Str

17%

12%

6%

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

Fav Opp

GOP
(36%)

IND
(20%)

DEM
(41%)

Very
Cons.
(19%)

Somewhat
Cons.
(19%)

Moderate
(35%)

Liberal
(24%)

FAMM NATIONAL PRESENTATION OCTOBER 2015

214 North Fayette Street

Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Phone: (703) 836-7655
Web: www.pos.org