Poll: Nearly two-thirds of Utahns back crackdown on artifact looting

*A poll carried out in Utah suggests that there is not much public support for collectors and no-questions-asked dealing in ancient artefacts in some parts of the US:

Government agents raiding alleged Four Corners artifact looters in 2009 set off a sharp backlash among some locals and lawmakers, although prosecutors and judges have since taken criticism for going easy on the defendants. It turns out most Utahns say the government was right to crack down. A new statewide Salt Lake Tribune poll shows nearly two-thirds agree the sweep was justified, while fewer than a quarter say it wasn’t. Nearly half (48 percent) say the probation sentences handed out so far have been fair, but 33 percent would have preferred stiffer punishments. “Ancient artifacts are more for the public to view in a museum instead of selling them for a profit,” said David Johnson, a poll respondent from Kaysville.

The survey of 625 registered Utah voters was conducted by Mason Dixon Polling & Research from Jan. 17 to 19. One wonders what poll results would show in other parts of the States or concerning the no-questions-asked sales of items potentially looted from archaeological sites in other countries across the Oceans.

The rest here: Brandon Loomis, 'Poll: Nearly two-thirds of Utahns back crackdown on artifact looting', The Salt Lake Tribune 29th Jan 2011.