Ravi was sentenced on May 21 to 30 days in jail, three years probation, community service and a fine for using a webcam to spy on Clementi, who was his roommate at Rutgers. He could have been sentenced up to 10 years in prison. Belief that Ravi’s sentence is too lenient holds up across a wide range of demographics, with just a few exceptions.
Most New Jerseyans had heard about the case. More than three-quarters (78 percent) say they had heard a lot, compared to 19 percent who had heard only a little and 3 percent who had heard nothing at all.
“Virtually everyone had heard about the case and has an opinion on it,” said Poll Director David Redlawsk, a professor of political science at Rutgers. “The case gripped New Jersey and the country, and the sentencing has generated strong opinions. In the end New Jerseyans agree with a recent statement by Tyler Clementi’s parents that Dharun Ravi’s sentence is not enough.”
Results are from a poll of 1,191 adults conducted statewide among both landline and cell phone households from May 31-June 4. The sample has a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points.
Opinions about sentencing cut across most demographic divides
Many of the typical divisions seen among subgroups do not exist in opinions about Ravi’s sentencing. Democrats, independents and Republicans show virtually the same pattern: at least half of each group (52 percent, 50 percent, and 52 percent, respectively) think Ravi’s sentencing was too lenient while nearly four in 10 of each group (39 percent, 38 percent, and 38 percent, respectively) say Ravi got the sentence he deserves. Liberals, moderates and conservatives show a similar pattern.
Black and white New Jerseyans feel similarly: 51 percent of whites and 47 percent of blacks believe the sentence was not tough enough. Even more Hispanic Garden Staters (62 percent) say Ravi got off too easily while 30 percent said the sentence was fair. About 40 percent of whites and blacks say the sentence was just.
When considering the age of respondents, the general patterns of the full adult sample hold with one difference: 57 percent of younger residents say the punishment was not harsh enough, higher than any other age group.
“Those who are closest in age to Ravi and Clementi may feel the case more directly and may be empathizing more with the victim than older New Jerseyans,” said Redlawsk.
Although few say that Ravi’s sentence was too tough, men are more likely than women to hold this opinion, by a 10 to 3 ratio. More than half of women (52 percent) and 49 percent of men say the sentence was not tough enough, while 41 percent of women and 36 percent of men say Ravi got the sentence he deserves.
Less educated residents say Ravi should pay a higher price. Well over half – 56 percent – of those without a college degree say the sentence should have been stronger; 48 percent of college graduates and 44 percent with even more education agree. Better educated respondents are evenly split over the sentence at about 44 percent. Only one-third with less education say the sentence is appropriate.
Immigrants more likely to believe sentence too tough
Immigrant status clearly stands out as a difference maker among respondents. Immigrants or those with a parent born outside the United States are much more likely to say that Ravi’s sentence is too harsh. While 53 percent of New Jerseyans born here say the sentence was not tough enough, only 40 percent of immigrants agree. Non-native New Jerseyans are more likely to believe Ravi got what he deserves (43 percent), while another 12 percent say the sentence was too harsh. But only 38 percent of those born in the U.S. say the sentence was appropriate, while 5 percent see it as too tough.
New Jerseyans with a parent born outside the country follow a similar pattern: 9 percent believe Ravi’s sentence was too tough, 43 percent believe it was not tough enough and 44 percent believe he got the punishment he deserves. In contrast, a majority (55 percent) with parents born here believes the punishment was insufficient, whereas 36 percent thought it was appropriate and 5 percent thought it was too extreme.
“It seems those who are immigrants or who come from immigrant families are more supportive of Ravi, who is an immigrant himself,” noted Redlawsk. “This may come from a sense of community among immigrants, who see Ravi as one of them, though it does not necessarily suggest they condone his actions.”
Religious beliefs also seem to define differing opinions: more Catholics (55 percent) and Protestants (53 percent) believe Ravi’s sentence was too lenient, while 45 percent of Jewish residents agree. But those of other religions – including a small group of Muslim respondents – are more likely to believe Ravi’s sentencing was “too tough” (10 percent, compared to 5 percent each for Catholics and Protestants), much less likely to believe his sentence was “not tough enough” (39 percent) and more likely than Catholics and Protestants to believe that he “got the punishment he deserves” (47 percent, compared to 36 percent of both Catholics and Protestants).
“The ‘other’ category for religion includes a small group of Muslims, as well as other respondents who do not characterize themselves in one of the three largest religious groups,” said Redlawsk. “While we do not have enough data to analyze Muslims independently, all signs point to a greater belief that Ravi was treated too harshly in being punished for his actions among these residents.”
Awareness influences opinion
While most New Jerseyans heard at least something about the Ravi story, those who had heard a lot are more likely to believe that Ravi’s sentencing was not tough enough. More than half of this group – 52 percent – thinks his sentence should have been harsher. But among those who heard less about the story, 45 percent feel the same. Not surprisingly, those who had heard less about the case are more likely to be unsure about the sentence, with 9 percent saying they “don’t know” compared to only 3 percent of those who had heard a lot about it.
Media Contact: David Redlawsk
732-932-9384, ext. 285
E-mail: redlawsk@rutgers.edu