Over time, public attitudes toward corrections have alternated between punitiveness and compassion. Starting from the mid-1960's, a 'get tough' corrections policy has prevailed due to a number of factors, including public concern about increased violent crime, increased media crime coverage, disenchantment with the effectiveness of rehabilitation, and reaction to the Warren Court's interpretations of due process protections. Overall, a punitive corrections policy has been fueled by a frightened and angry public and a Federal Government that has aggressively pursued crime policies based on ideology. Some public polls, however, indicate that a significant percentage of Americans believe that incarceration does not deter crime, that prisons should rehabilitate, that judges should have more discretion, and that inmates should have a trade or vocational skill before release from prison. Corrections policy development is apparently paralyzed by 'pluralistic ignorance,' which is systematic inaccuracy in the assessment of group opinion by group members. What is needed is strong corrections policy leadership by nongovernmental organizations, a balanced view of crime causes and crime control, and greater reliance on empirical evidence in policy development.