UpOne Insights recently conducted a survey of N=800 registered voters, May 7 – 12, 2025 (+ 3.95%), via a non-probability, online methodology that reflects a representative sample of the Pennsylvania statewide electorate. The purpose of this memo is to review the key findings from this survey.
Key Findings
- Two-thirds of voters believe the state’s criminal justice system needs significant improvements. As a result, more than three-quarters support reform. By a 66%-17% margin, Pennsylvanians say the state’s system of police, courts, jails, and prisons needs “significant improvements” rather than it is “working well.” Fully 76% of voters support criminal justice reform in Pennsylvania, including 74% of Republicans, 69% of independent voters, and 79% of Democrats. Trump voters (73%) and Harris voters (81%) agree.
- Pennsylvanians want more focus on crime prevention than on punishment, and are supportive of efforts to shift resources to increase the percentage of crimes solved by police.
- By a 73%-19% margin, voters agree that “it is more important to prevent crime than to punish crime.” Republicans (71%-22%), independent voters (63%-25%), and Democrats (79%-14%) all agree.
- Fully 70% of voters across Pennsylvania support “policies that would shift resources from other parts of the criminal justice system to increase the percentage of crimes solved by the police,” while just 12% are opposed. Voters across party lines, including Republicans (75%-12%), independent voters (61%-11%), and Democrats (70%-14%) are in favor of these policies.
- An overwhelming 83% of Pennsylvania voters support the VICTIM Act. Support for this new legislation extends across every demographic and geographic group in the state.
| VICTIM Act* | Support-Oppose |
|---|---|
| Statewide | 83%-8% |
| Republicans | 83%-8% |
| Independent Voters | 80%-12% |
| Democrats | 84%-8% |
| White Voters | 84%-7% |
| Non-White Voters | 77%-13% |
* “As you may know, there has been bipartisan discussion in the Pennsylvania State Legislature about new legislation called the VICTIM Act. This bill is designed to help law enforcement solve more homicides and other violent crimes by providing police and prosecutors with additional and necessary tools to help solve these serious crimes. Specifically, the VICTIM Act would establish a grant program that law enforcement could use to hire and retain detectives and investigators, upgrade technology used to analyze evidence, and to supporting witnesses to help in the investigations of homicides and other violent crimes.”
