How can public opinion research help achieve badly needed criminal justice reforms? Unfortunately, public opinion has frequently been used in ways that help construct barriers to reform. Understanding the reasons—the influences on public opinion about crime and justice, the popularity of punitiveness and reform, and the way political actors interpret opinion—for this is important. But there is also promise in public opinion research for achieving a more just system, and public opinion research can also be a tool in elevating structurally marginalized voices, as well as those most impacted by crime and justice processes. Doing so requires a commitment to involving diverse voices inside and outside the academy, as well as a thoughtful and mutually beneficial integration of theory and public opinion research.

舆论研究如何帮助实现急需的刑事司法改革？不幸的是，公众舆论经常被用来为改革设置障碍。了解原因——犯罪和正义对公众舆论的影响、惩罚和改革的普及，以及政治参与者解读舆论的方式——因为这很重要。但民意研究也有望实现更公正的制度，民意研究也可以成为提升结构性边缘化声音以及那些受犯罪和司法程序影响最大的人的工具。这样做需要致力于让学术界内外的不同声音参与进来，以及对理论和舆论研究进行深思熟虑和互惠互利的整合。