The relationships between punitive sanctions directed at offenders and public sentiments about appropriate penalties are in need of investigation. Previous studies dealing with this subject are noted. This paper reports on an investigation in California in which citizens indicated the degree of punishment they felt to be appropriate for 20 different crimes. The most visible and coercive offenses received the most severe penalty choices and these are crimes which are severely punished in the state. However, some discrepancies between citizen preferences and penalties currently imposed were also observed.