How do voters view crime issues in the upcoming election?

Last week, online data research group YouGov published the results Part of a series of surveys asking registered voters their opinions on a wide range of crime-related issues ahead of the 2024 election, including the issues that matter most to them, the policies they support and the candidates they trust.

The poll found that crime is a major problem among Donald Trump's supporters. 45% said this was one of their top three problems. Among Kamala Harris supporters, only 19% ranked in the top three. (For Harris supporters, the top three issues were health care, the economy, and the environment. Trump supporters were most concerned about the economy, immigration, and then crime.)

The crime-related issue most likely to concern voters is gun policy. Gun policy is by far the most important issue for Harris supporters, followed by racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Trump voters place a high value on police funding and criminal sentencing, although a large portion also care about guns.

Harris' crime policies are, on average, more popular than Trump's. The majority of voters support Harris-backed proposals for universal background checks for gun purchases and rehabilitation programs for former prisoners. Trump's proposal to impose mandatory minimum sentences for violent crimes is also supported by a large majority of voters, including most of his and Harris' supporters.

But two of his plans receive significantly less support, including from less than half of his own supporters: granting qualified immunity to police officers and allowing the death penalty for drug dealers.

The biggest disagreement between Harris and Trump supporters on specific crime policy is Trump's proposal to pardon those involved in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. 70% of Trump supporters support this policy. Only 7% of Harris supporters do this.

Trump is somewhat favored over Harris when it comes to addressing crime overall, but confidence on specific crime-related issues varies. Harris is more trusted than Trump to address racial disparities in the criminal justice system, white-collar crime and marijuana laws. Trump cites Harris in handling police funding and sentencing. There is wide division among voters about who they trust more to handle gun policy, policing practices and privacy rights.

Voters are largely able to correctly identify Harris' policies on guns. Most voters also know that Trump wants to pardon those involved in the January 6 attack and send troops into the cities to restore order. Less than half of voters — including just 37% of his own supporters — know that Trump supports imposing the death penalty on drug dealers.