THE POLL IS DESIGNED TO COLLECT, ANALYZE, AND DISSEMINATE PUBLIC OPINION ABOUT TOPICS IN THE AREA OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE WHICH ARE OF CONCERN AND INTEREST TO THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS. RESPONSES TO THE THIRD POLL WERE FROM INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN 176 COUNTIES WHO REFLECTED THE SOCIOECONOMIC, RACIAL, AND RURAL/URBAN MAKEUP OF THE TEXAS POPULATION. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT A MAJORITY OF TEXANS ARE FEARFUL OF BEING THE CRIME VICTIMS WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR; HOLD A MARKED FEAR FOR THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY OUTSIDE THE HOME AT NIGHT; AND ARE TAKING DEFINITE STEPS TO PROTECT PERSON AND PROPERTY FROM CRIME. RESPONDENTS APPEARED TO BE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE VIOLENT CRIMINAL, AND 90 PERCENT OBJECTED TO PROBATION FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF A VIOLENT CRIME. RESPONDENTS WERE STRONGLY PUNISHMENT ORIENTED WITH OVER 80 PERCENT SUPPORTING THE DEATH PENALTY AND 85 PERCENT MANDATORY SUPERVISON FOR PRISON RELEASEES. AS IN PREVIOUS SURVEYS, CITIZENS EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE OPERATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE MAJORITY FELT THAT COURTS WERE TOO EASY ON CONVICTED FELONS; TWO-THIRDS THOUGHT THE JURY, AND NOT THE JUDGE, SHOULD DECIDE ON PUNISHMENT AND THAT JURIES SHOULD BE INFORMED ABOUT PAROLE LAWS BEFORE SENTENCING. IN GENERAL, RESPONDENTS FELT THAT THE POLICE AND SHERIFFS' DEPARTMENTS WERE DOING AN ADEQUATE JOB AND THAT THE TEXAS PRISON SYSTEM IS PREPARING INDIVIDUALS FOR RETURN TO SOCIETY. EXTENSIVE TABULAR DATA ACCOMPANY THE REPORT AND THE LEGISLATIVE MANDATE FOR THE SURVEY IS INCLUDED. (MJW)