The author emphasizes the importance of educating the public, primarily because members of the public elect politicians who nominate judges and voters at times elect judges directly. He compares mass and elite opinions with each other and with specific U.S. Supreme Court decisions and discusses causal influences on public attitudes in the context of criminal justice. The goal of the book is to provide information that will help social scientists explain public views that may seem intolerant. Additional information on public attitudes and opinions and on criminal procedures is incorporated in five appendixes. References and tables