Crime rates No. 1 woe in survey; 20% of state households hi Sovti man The Michigan Daily-Friday, September 5, 1980-Page 11-8 erts increase ned space flights (Continued from Page 3) who is not given to hyperbole. He believes the Soviets are developing such weapons to be used either from orbiting spaceships or from Earth. A member of the House Armed Ser- vices Committee seems to take the threat seriously, too. "We may be a lot closer to 'Buck Rogers' or 'Star Wars' than most folks realize," said Rep. William Dickinson. Shooting down another nation's space satellites would not break any laws,'as long as they are out of the Earth's at- mosphere. The SALT 1 treaty protects satellites only until they reach "outer space." "There's a need for some kind of in- ternational legislation to prevent a shoot-em-out in space," says the Western analyst. But so far the Russians aren't interested in talking, despite informal overtures from the United States. LANSING (UPI)-Crime touched one-fifth of all Michigan households in the past year and residents in a "get tough" mood continued to rate it their communities' No. 1 problem, a new survey reported Wednesday. The survey--entitled Public: Opinion on Crime and Criminal Justice--also, however, reported the number of per- sons victimized by crime was not up ubstantially from last year and said 75 r cent of those who responded feel reasonably safe in their own neigh- borhoods at night. About 6 of 10 Michigan residents con- tinue to favor reinstating the death penalty in a state which was the first to abolish it, the survey also showed. IT ALSO SHOWED support for stiff mandatory sentences and opposition to removing so-called status offenses rom the jurisdiction of the probate ~ourt. The eighth annual survey-conducted by the criminal justice office of the state budget department-covered a sample of 800 households during the period March 5-22. In 20 per cent of all Michigan households, either a resident or the premises was the victim of some form of crime in the past year-up slightly from 17 per cent in 1979-the survey found. The most common crime was arceny or theft. IT IS WELL down, however, from the one of every four level reported in 1976. Crime, as expected, was found 'more frequently in central cities but the sur vey, also dispelled the notion that the elderly are the most common victims. Those surveyed saw stricter penalties and a beefed-up police presence as the best answers to crime. An increase in the mention of police- related solutions suggests a "'get tough' attitude among citizens,' the report said. REHABILITATION and punishment were ranked about evenly as priorities for the prison system and 56 per cent said they would be willing to pay from $1 to $25 per year to build new in- stitutions to ease overcrowding. A proposal to raise taxes for prison crowding will appear on the fall ballot. * A majority said other so-called vic- timless crimes such as prostitution, homosexual acts, and gambling should remain illegal. The public appeared divided on lowering marijuana penalties. * Two-thirds of Michigan residents feel sentences are too lenient, with the feeling strongest among whites and the elderly. " Eight of 10 opposed plea bargaining for major crimes and there was a split on election versus appointment of judges. Billing-764-0550 Circulation-764-0558 Classifieds-764-0557 Display-764-0554 News and Happenings-764-0552 Sports-764-0562 I Daily Photo by PAUL ENGSTROM'" Jungle palms School of Art sophomore Suzi Weidenthal admires a palm at the Panhellenic Association's plant sale in the Union's Pendleton Room. The Association plans to donate its proceeds to sudden infant death syndrome research. The greenery abounds until Sunday. -wU w " - B. When you need big faos you ask good friends. The wod's out on campus*. If you want to be in the know, you should be reading The Daily . . . the latest in news, sports, les affaires academiques, and entertainment .. . CALL 764-0558 to order your subscription today / %' /,/ i i I! ! u ._ I '1 , \, -- - 1 .1 I 'A II 00 \ STAfO ..... ...* .* ...*.. ... .. . . . .. . . S".." . .... .... ..... ... S . . .. .. .". . . . ............ . . ............ ..... ....... ..". .... ."".r' """ *.*.*. .. ""~ .."r f. .. S "" ."" ".. . ".. .*..*. " *.... .. 0(1 S~~rrSELECTEDY "STA110 SET "."OW"THROUGH"SEPT. 30 3 PE.. " "SET rr2.40 4 PEn SET 31.96 55.96 8 PEn1 SET 1.1U ..