Results revealed that the participants were highly cynical about the ability and performance of sentencers. In general, they thought that sentences are much too lenient. They tended to be systematically misinformed about sentencing practices and often substantially overestimated the leniency of sentencers. They regarded a series of Court of Appeals decisions as broadly acceptable and recommended sentences that were often in line with current practice, at least with respect to the type of sentence. However, many expressed highly punitive opinions about serious crimes and wanted longer prison sentences for them. Participants also lacked any clear understanding of probation and rehabilitative sentences. Findings indicate an urgent need for action to correct public misunderstanding about the leniency of sentencing, because this misunderstanding is an important source of frustration with sentencing. Tables, excerpts of dialogues, notes, appended appellate court case vignettes, and 8 references (Author abstract modified)