GUESS WHOS COMING TO DINNER - A PRELIMINARY MODEL FOR THE SATISFACTION OF PUBLIC-OPINION AS A LEGITIMATE AIM IN SENTENCING

This paper provides a preliminary outline of a possible model of how t he satisfaction of public opinion could be used in a rational system o f sentencing. As public opinion data concerning the criminal justice s ystem is becoming increasingly sophisticated and readily available, an d public opinion clearly plays a role in the sentencing decision, a mo del whereby the satisfaction of public opinion may be judiciously and effectively incorporated into the sentencing system is urgently requir ed. Some of the pitfalls of using public opinion data are also highlig hted as a caveat to the feasibility of such a model.