Crime

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Crime / Law Enforcement / Criminal Justice

	See also: Guns \| Race

Suffolk University/USA Today Poll. Feb. 16-20, 2022. N=1,000 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.1.

"On the issue of crime, is there more or less crime in your community compared to a year ago?"

		More	Less	Same (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	2/16-20/22	55	17	19	9

"Is there more or less crime in the country compared to a year ago?"

		More	Less	Same (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	2/16-20/22	72	8	8	12

Quinnipiac University Poll. April 8-12, 2021. N=1,237 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 2.8.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the way the police in the United States are doing their job?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	ALL	55	34	11
	Republicans	86	8	6
	Democrats	31	56	14
	Independents	61	30	9
	Whites	65	27	8
	Blacks	28	63	9
	Hispanics	46	40	14

	Among registered voters:
	6/11-15/20	49	44	7
	4/6-9/18	65	26	8
	10/7-9/16	63	27	10

"Do you approve or disapprove of the way the police in your community are doing their job?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	4/8-12/21	73	21	6

	Among registered voters:
	6/11-15/20	77	19	4
	10/7-9/16	84	12	4

"Do you think the police in the United States are generally tougher on white people than on Black people, tougher on Black people than on white people, or do the police treat them both the same?"

		Tougher on white people	Tougher on Black people	Treat both the same	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%	%
	ALL	1	50	41	7
	Republicans	1	19	73	7
	Democrats	1	86	9	4
	Independents	2	43	46	8
	Whites	2	46	46	6
	Blacks	-	79	10	11
	Hispanics	-	55	42	3

Gallup Poll. Sept. 30-Oct. 15, 2020. N=1,035 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.

"Are you in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder?"

		Yes	No	Unsure
		%	%	%
	9/30 - 10/15/20	55	43	2
	10/1-13/19	56	42	2
	10/1-10/18	56	41	4
	10/5-11/17	55	41	3
	10/5-9/16	60	37	3
	10/7-11/15	61	37	2
	10/12-15/14	63	33	4
	10/3-6/13	60	35	5
	12/19-22/12	63	32	6
	10/6-9/11	61	35	4
	10/7-10/10	64	29	6
	10/1-4/09	65	31	5
	10/3-5/08	64	30	5
	10/4-7/07	69	27	4
	10/9-12/06	67	28	5
	5/5-7/06	65	28	7
	10/13-16/05	64	30	6
	10/11-14/04	64	31	5

New York Times/Siena College Poll. June 17-22, 2020. N=1,337 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"I'm going to read a few names of people or groups in public life and I'd like you to tell me whether you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable impression of each. ... The police."

		Very favorable	Somewhat favorable	Somewhat unfavorable	Very unfavorable	Don't know/ Refused
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/17-22/20	43	29	14	9	5

Quinnipiac University Poll. June 11-15, 2020. N=1,332 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 2.7.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the way the police in the United States are doing their job?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	6/11-15/20	49	44	7
	Republicans	83	12	5
	Democrats	18	73	9
	Independents	52	41	7
	Whites	57	34	8
	Blacks	20	76	4
	Hispanics	38	58	4

"Is being the victim of police brutality something you personally worry about, or not?"

		Worry	Do not worry	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	6/11-15/20	25	74	-
	Republicans	11	88	1
	Democrats	40	60	1
	Independents	23	77	-
	Whites	13	86	1
	Blacks	74	25	1
	Hispanics	32	68	-

	4/6-9/18	21	78	1
	10/7-9/16	20	79	1

"Do you support or oppose banning the use of chokeholds by police departments in the United States?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	6/11-15/20	66	27	7

"Would you support or oppose cutting some funding from police departments in your community and shifting it to social services?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	6/11-15/20	41	54	5
	Republicans	10	86	4
	Democrats	70	24	6
	Independents	40	56	4
	Whites	37	58	5
	Blacks	62	31	7
	Hispanics	42	55	3

"Would you support or oppose eliminating the current police department in your community and replacing it with a new one?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	6/11-15/20	14	81	5

"Do you support or oppose the protests held around the country responding to the death of George Floyd at the hands of police?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	6/11-15/20	67	28	5

Washington Post-Schar School Poll. June 2-7, 2020. N=1,006 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.5.

"As you may have heard, a black man named George Floyd was killed in police custody in Minnesota after three white police officers kneeled on his neck and body. Four officers were fired and have been charged in Floyd's death, including one who was charged with murder. ..." [Interviews conducted June 2 ended with: "Four officers were fired and one was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter."] "Do you think the killing of George Floyd was an isolated incident or a sign of broader problems in treatment of black Americans by police?" Options rotated

		Isolated incident	Broader problems	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/2-7/20	29	69	2

"Do you support or oppose protests following Floyd's killing that have taken place in cities across the country?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/2-7/20	74	25	1

"Do you think protests have been mostly peaceful or mostly violent?" Options rotated

		Mostly peaceful	Mostly violent	Both equally (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/2-7/20	43	43	13	1

"When violence has occurred, who do you think is most to blame: police, protesters, or other people acting irresponsibly?"

		Police	Protesters	Other people	Mix (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/2-7/20	14	10	66	9	1

"Do you think police are using too much force when dealing with protesters in cities across the country, are not using enough force, or are they handling this about right?"

		Too much	Not enough	About right	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/2-7/20	45	15	38	3

"Do you think police are using too much force when dealing with peaceful protesters, are not using enough force, or are they handling this about right?"

		Too much	Not enough	About right	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/2-7/20	44	4	50	2

"Do you think police are using too much force when dealing with people vandalizing or looting businesses, are not using enough force, or are they handling this about right?"

		Too much	Not enough	About right	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/2-7/20	16	47	34	3

"Which comes closer to your view, even if neither is exactly right? Police in America have made the changes needed to treat blacks equally to whites. OR, Police in America need to continue making changes to treat blacks equally to whites." Options rotated

		Have made changes needed	Need to continue making changes	Both (vol.)	Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/2-7/20	13	81	3	1	2

CNN Poll conducted by SSRS. June 2-5, 2020. N=1,259 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.4.

"In general, do you think that the country's criminal justice system treats whites and blacks equally, or does it favor whites over blacks?"

		Treats equally	Favors whites	Favors blacks (vol.)	Depends (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	24	67	1	3	5
	White, non-Hispanic	29	63	1	2	6
	Black, non-Hispanic	6	88	1	2	3

"Thinking about the protests that have occurred recently after incidents where African Americans have been harmed or killed by police: "In general, do you think the peaceful protests that have occurred in response to those situations have been justified or unjustified?"

		Justified	Unjustified	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	84	12	4
	White, non-Hispanic	88	9	3
	Black, non-Hispanic	80	17	3

"In general, do you think the violent protests that have occurred in response to those situations have been justified or unjustified?"

		Justified	Unjustified	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	27	69	4
	White, non-Hispanic	23	73	4
	Black, non-Hispanic	39	58	3

"Do you think it would be appropriate or not appropriate for the president to deploy the U.S. military in response to protests in the United States?"

		Appropriate	Not appropriate	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/2-5/20	36	60	4

CBS News Poll. May 29-June 2, 2020. N=1,309 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.1.

"How would you describe your feelings about the police in your community? Would you say they make you feel mostly safe or mostly anxious?"

		Mostly safe	Mostly anxious	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	5/29 - 6/2/20	76	21	3
	12/6-9/14	75	22	3

"In general, do you think the police in most communities are more likely to use deadly force against a black person, more likely to use it against a white person, or don't you think race affects police use of deadly force?"

		More likely against a black person	More likely against a white person	Race doesn't affect use of force	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%	%
	5/29 - 6/2/20	57	3	36	5

"How much have you heard or read about the events in Minneapolis where George Floyd died after being taken into police custody and the protests that followed: a lot, some, or not much?"

		A lot	Some	Not much	Nothing at all (vol.)	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%	%	%
	5/29 - 6/2/20	70	21	8	1	1

"From what you know, do you think the use of force by Minneapolis police officers when detaining George Floyd was justified, or not justified, or don't you know enough to say?"

		Justified	Not justified	Don't know enough	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%	%
	5/29 - 6/2/20	2	81	16	1

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by Hart Research Associates (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R). May 29-June 2, 2020. N=745 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.6.

"As you may know, an African American man died in Minneapolis after a police officer pinned the man to the ground and put his knee on his throat for about eight minutes. There have now been a number of protests, some of which have turned violent. Although both may be of concern to you, which one concerns you more: the actions of the police and the death of an African American man, or protests that have turned violent?" Options rotated

		Actions of police, death	Protests that turned violent	Both (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	ALL	59	27	13	1
	Whites	54	30	15	1
	Blacks	78	15	6	1
	Hispanics	65	27	6	2

Monmouth University Poll. May 29-June 1, 2020. N=759 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.6.

"How satisfied are you with the job your local police department does: very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?"

		Very satisfied	Somewhat satisfied	Neither	Somewhat dissatisfied	Very dissatisfied
		%	%	%	%	%
	5/29 - 6/1/20	41	30	13	10	5
	3/30 - 4/2/15	40	32	10	9	9

"Have you or an immediate family member ever felt that you were being harassed by the police, or has this not happened?"

		Has happened	Has not happened
		%	%
	5/29 - 6/1/20	28	72

"Have you or an immediate family member ever had an experience where a police officer helped keep you safe in a potentially dangerous situation, or has this not happened?"

		Has happened	Has not happened
		%	%
	5/29 - 6/1/20	31	69

"When faced with a difficult or dangerous situation, are police officers more likely to use excessive force if the culprit is black, or are they just as likely to use excessive force against black and white culprits given the same type of situation?"

		More likely	Just as likely	Police do not use excessive force (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	5/29 - 6/1/20	57	33	1	9

"Have you heard about the protests across the country, including the burning of a police precinct in Minneapolis, in reaction to a recent incident where a black man died when a police officer kneeled on his neck, or have you not heard about this?"

		Have heard	Have not heard
		%	%
	5/29 - 6/1/20	97	3

If have heard about the protests: "Given what happened, do you think the actions of the protestors were fully justified, partially justified, or not at all justified?" Results based on total sample

		Fully justified	Partially justified	Not at all justified	Depends (vol.)/Unsure	Not aware of protests
		%	%	%	%	%
	5/29 - 6/1/20	17	37	38	5	3

If have heard about the protests: "Regardless of the actual actions taken, do you think the anger that led to these protests was fully justified, partially justified, or not at all justified?" Results based on total sample

		Fully justified	Partially justified	Not at all justified	Depends (vol.)	Not aware of protests
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	57	21	18	1	3
	Republicans	37	20	40	1	1
	Independents	60	25	11	0	3
	Democrats	71	18	8	0	4

Quinnipiac University Poll. July 25-28, 2019. N=1,306 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.4.

"Which punishment do you prefer for people convicted of murder: the death penalty or life in prison with no chance of parole?"

		Death penalty	Life/No parole	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	7/25-28/19	33	54	13
	3/16-20/18	37	51	12
	5/19-26/15	43	48	9
	4/25-29/13	48	43	9
	7/8-13/08	47	44	9
	12/7-12/04	42	46	12

"Would you like to see the death penalty abolished nationwide, or not?"

		Would like to see it abolished	Would not	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	7/25-28/19	35	58	7
	3/16-20/18	31	64	5

NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll. July 15-17, 2019. N=1,346 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.5.

"Do you think abolishing the death penalty is a good idea or a bad idea?"

		A good idea	A bad idea	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/15-17/19	36	58	6

Quinnipiac University Poll. April 26-29, 2019. N=1,044 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.5.

"Do you support or oppose allowing individuals who are currently in prison to vote?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	4/26-29/19	31	65	4

Gallup Poll. Oct. 1-10, 2018. N=1,019 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.

"In your opinion, is the death penalty imposed too often, about the right amount, or not often enough?" Options rotated

		Too often	About the right amount	Not often enough	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	10/1-10/18	29	28	37	6
	10/5-11/17	26	26	39	8

"Generally speaking, do you believe the death penalty is applied fairly or unfairly in this country today?"

		Fairly	Unfairly	Unsure
		%	%	%
	10/1-10/18	49	45	6
	10/5-11/17	51	43	7

Quinnipiac University Poll. July 18-23, 2018. N=1,177 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.5.

"Is your opinion of the FBI favorable, unfavorable, or haven't you heard enough about it?"

		Favorable	Unfavorable	Haven't heard enough	Refused
		%	%	%	%
	7/18-23/18	49	25	21	4
	5/31 - 6/5/18	49	29	18	4

Pew Research Center. April 25-May 1, 2018. N=1,503 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 2.9.

"Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose or strongly oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of murder?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%
	4/25 - 5/1/18	54	39	7
	8/23 - 9/2/16	49	42	9
	3/25-29/15	56	38	6

Quinnipiac University Poll. April 6-9, 2018. N=1,181 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.4.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the way the police in the United States are doing their job?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	ALL	65	26	8
	Republicans	84	9	6
	Democrats	49	41	10
	Independents	67	26	8
	Whites	73	17	10
	Blacks	28	65	7
	Hispanics	55	40	5

"Do you think the police in the United States are generally tougher on whites than on blacks, tougher on blacks than on whites, or do the police treat them both the same?"

		Tougher on whites	Tougher on blacks	Treat them the same	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%	%
	ALL	1	48	44	7
	Republicans	2	15	76	8
	Democrats	1	77	18	4
	Independents	1	50	42	7
	Whites	1	40	52	7
	Blacks	-	85	8	6
	Hispanics	-	63	35	2

"When faced with a possible criminal situation, do you think police in the United States are more likely to shoot someone who is black, more likely to shoot someone who is white, or do you think police are equally likely to shoot someone of either race?"

		Black	White	Either	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%	%
	ALL	40	2	53	5
	Republicans	10	2	83	5
	Democrats	70	-	25	4
	Independents	38	3	55	5
	Whites	32	2	61	5
	Blacks	82	1	15	1
	Hispanics	51	-	45	3

"Is being the victim of police brutality something you personally worry about, or not?"

		Worry	Do not worry	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	ALL	21	78	1
	Republicans	9	91	-
	Democrats	31	68	-
	Independents	21	78	1
	Whites	12	88	-
	Blacks	64	35	1
	Hispanics	37	63	-

Marist Poll. Feb. 5-7, 2018. N=1,012 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.7.

"Overall, do you have a favorable or an unfavorable impression of the FBI?"

		Favorable	Unfavorable	Unsure/Never heard of
		%	%	%
	2/5-7/18	65	28	7

Quinnipiac University Poll. Feb. 2-5, 2018. N=1,333 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.3.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the way the FBI is handling its job?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	2/2-5/18	48	36	16
	1/5-9/17	46	38	16

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by Hart Research Associates (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R). Jan. 13-17, 2018. N=900 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.3.

"Next, I am going to read a list of institutions in American society, and I'd like you to tell me how much confidence you have in each one: a great deal, quite a bit, some, very little, or none at all. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI."

		A great deal	Quite a bit	Some	Very little	None at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%	%
	1/13-17/18	21	21	41	10	5	2
	12/12-15/16	15	17	45	15	6	2
	12/10-14/14	15	23	43	10	5	4

Gallup Poll. Dec. 18-19, 2017. N=1,011 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.

"How would you rate the job being done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the FBI? Would you say it is doing an excellent, good, only fair, or poor job?"

		Excellent	Good	Only fair	Poor	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	12/18-19/17	18	40	22	15	6
	11/11-12/14	11	47	27	8	7
	5/20-21/13	10	45	27	12	7
	7/10-12/09	10	48	27	7	8
	9/8-10/03	10	43	31	12	4

CBS News Poll. Sept. 21-24, 2017. N=1,202 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"In general, do you think the criminal justice system in the United States is biased in favor of blacks, or is it biased against blacks, or does it generally give blacks fair treatment?"

		Biased in favor	Biased against	Fair treatment	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%	%
	ALL	8	47	36	9
	Whites	9	40	42	9
	Blacks	5	84	5	6

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Sept. 8-15, 2015. N=1,559 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"Do you favor or oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of murder?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	9/8-15/15	59	31	10
	4/8-12/15	56	34	10

CBS News Poll. April 8-12, 2015. N=1,012 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"Do you favor or oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of murder?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	ALL	56	34	10
	Republicans	73	19	8
	Democrats	44	46	10
	Independents	57	32	11

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. Dec. 11-14, 2014. N=1,000 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.5. Note: An additional 12 interviews with blacks conducted Dec. 15, 2014.

"Do you think blacks and other minorities receive equal treatment as whites in the criminal justice system or not?"

		Receive equal treatment	Do not receive equal treatment	Unsure
		%	%	%
	12/11-14/14	43	54	4
	Whites	52	44	4
	Blacks	10	89	1
	Hispanics	35	60	5

	7/18-21/13	45	50	6
	4/5-8/12	37	55	7

"How confident are you that the police in this country treat whites and blacks equally: very confident, somewhat confident, not so confident or not confident at all?"

		Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not so confident	Not confident at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	21	32	22	24	2
	Whites	26	37	19	17	1
	Blacks	3	18	20	57	1
	Hispanics	15	25	29	29	3

"How confident are you that the police in this country try hard enough to maintain good relations with different groups in the community: very confident, somewhat confident, not so confident or not confident at all?"

		Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not so confident	Not confident at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	25	41	19	14	1
	Whites	31	43	15	10	1
	Blacks	4	32	38	26	1
	Hispanics	21	37	18	21	3

"How confident are you that the police in this country are adequately trained to avoid the use of excessive force: very confident, somewhat confident, not so confident or not confident at all?"

		Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not so confident	Not confident at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	20	34	23	21	2
	Whites	23	39	20	16	2
	Blacks	4	25	30	41	0
	Hispanics	22	22	25	27	4

"How confident are you that the police in this country are held accountable for any misconduct: very confident, somewhat confident, not so confident or not confident at all?"

		Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not so confident	Not confident at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	19	33	22	24	2
	Whites	23	37	21	17	2
	Blacks	5	20	17	57	0
	Hispanics	20	15	33	28	3

"Would you support or oppose requiring patrol officers in your area to wear small video cameras whenever they're on duty?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	12/11-14/14	86	13	2

"Would you support or oppose a policy saying that when police kill an unarmed civilian it should be investigated by an outside prosecutor who does not work with the police on a regular basis?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	12/11-14/14	87	11	2

CBS News Poll. Dec. 6-9, 2014. N=1,122 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4. Per CBS News: "Additional interviews were conducted with African Americans, who had previously completed a survey as part of a random sample, to yield a sample size of 287 African Americans. 698 whites were interviewed. The combined African American and non-African American samples were weighted separately to match their groups population characteristics such as gender, age, education, region, marital status and phone use based on recent U.S. Census estimates. The samples were then combined and weighted to the total U.S. adult population."

"How would you rate the job your local police are doing in controlling crime in your community: excellent, good, fair, or poor?"

		Excellent	Good	Fair	Poor	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	25	38	24	11	3
	Whites	28	41	19	9	4
	Blacks	8	30	39	22	-

"How would you describe your feelings about the police in your community? Would you say they make you feel mostly safe or mostly anxious?"

		Mostly safe	Mostly anxious	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	ALL	75	22	3
	Whites	80	18	2
	Blacks	52	43	6

"In general, do you think the police are too quick to use deadly force, or do they typically only use deadly force when necessary?"

		Too quick	Only when necessary	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	ALL	35	59	6
	Whites	28	65	6
	Blacks	74	22	4

"In general, do you think most police officers need better training on how to handle confrontations with civilians, or do most police officers have the appropriate training in dealing with that already?"

		Need better training	Have the appropriate training	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	ALL	61	35	4
	Whites	59	36	5
	Blacks	85	14	1

"In general, do you think local police forces should have military weapons and vehicles such as assault rifles and armored vehicles or should these kinds of weapons be reserved only for the military and national guard?" Aug. 2014: "In general, do you think local police forces should have military weapons and vehicles such as assault rifles and tanks, or should these kinds of weapons be reserved only for the military and national guard?"

		Police should have	Should be for military, nat'l guard	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	12/6-9/14	30	65	5
	8/19-20/14	26	68	6

"Do you favor or oppose on-duty police officers wearing video cameras which would record events and actions as they occur?"

		Favor	Oppose	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	12/6-9/14	91	8	2

"Generally, do you think local district attorneys should handle cases involving the police and civilian deaths, or do you think these cases should be handled by an independent prosecutor?"

		Local DAs	Independent prosecutor	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	12/6-9/14	39	49	12

"In general, do you think police officers stop people of certain racial or ethnic groups because they believe that these groups are more likely than others to commit certain types of crimes, or don't you think this happens?"

		Stop certain people	Don't think this happens	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	ALL	65	28	7
	Whites	61	33	6
	Blacks	88	8	4

"Was there ever a specific instance when you felt discriminated against by the police because of your race or ethnic background?"

		Yes	No	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	12/6-9/14	18	81	-
	Whites	10	90	-
	Blacks	54	46	-

	8/19-20/14	16	83	1
	Whites	7	93	1
	Blacks	45	55	-

"Do you think the racial makeup of a community's police department should be similar to the racial makeup of that community as a whole, or don't you think that's necessary?"

		Should be similar	Not necessary	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%
	12/6-9/14	51	44	5
	Whites	48	46	5
	Blacks	63	34	3

	8/19-20/14	46	50	4
	Whites	46	50	4
	Blacks	56	41	3

"In general, do you think the police in most communities are more likely to use deadly force against a black person, or more likely to use it against a white person, or don't you think race affects police use of deadly force?"

		Against a black person	Against a white person	Race doesn't affect use	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%	%
	12/6-9/14	40	2	51	7
	Whites	33	2	57	8
	Blacks	84	-	10	6

	8/19-20/14	37	1	50	11
	Whites	31	1	58	10
	Blacks	71	-	20	9

Pew Research Center/USA Today. Dec. 3-7, 2014. N=1,507 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 2.9.

"Thinking about police officers around the country, do you think it would be a good idea or a bad idea for more police officers to wear body cameras that would record their interactions?"

		Good idea	Bad idea	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%
	12/3-7/14	87	10	4

"Over the course of the next year, do you think relations between local police forces and minorities in communities around the country will get better, get worse, or stay about the same?"

		Get better	Get worse	Stay about the same	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%	%
	ALL	21	35	42	2
	Whites	21	34	43	1
	Blacks	16	52	31	1
	Hispanics	27	23	48	3

NBC News/Marist Poll. Dec. 4-5, 2014. N=1,018 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.1.

"How much confidence do you have in police officers in your community to do a good job enforcing the law: a great deal, a fair amount, just some, or very little confidence?"

		A great deal	A fair amount	Just some	Very little	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	48	29	10	12	2
	Whites	55	28	10	7	1
	Blacks	17	33	10	35	4
	Latinos	41	34	10	13	1

"How much confidence do you have in police officers in your community to not use excessive force on suspects: a great deal, a fair amount, just some, or very little confidence?"

		A great deal	A fair amount	Just some	Very little	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	41	31	12	13	3
	Whites	50	29	11	7	2
	Blacks	13	30	19	33	6
	Latinos	29	39	5	25	2

"How much confidence do you have in police officers in your community to treat blacks and whites equally: a great deal, a fair amount, just some, or very little confidence?"

		A great deal	A fair amount	Just some	Very little	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	44	25	11	16	4
	Whites	52	26	9	10	3
	Blacks	12	21	20	43	5
	Latinos	29	28	18	20	6


"Do you agree or disagree that law enforcement applies different standards to whites and blacks? ... And, do you feel that way strongly or not so strongly?"

		Strongly agree	Not so strongly agree	Not so strongly disagree	Strongly disagree	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	36	11	8	36	9
	Whites	28	11	9	42	10
	Blacks	80	2	4	10	5
	Latinos	34	19	5	33	8

"Do you believe that police officers should or should not be required to wear video recorders to monitor their policing?"

		Should	Should not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	76	17	7
	Whites	74	20	6
	Blacks	81	10	9
	Latinos	83	13	4

Gallup Poll. Oct. 12-15, 2014. N=1,017 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.

"How much confidence do you have in the ability of the police to protect you from violent crime: a great deal, quite a lot, not very much, or none at all?"

		A great deal	Quite a lot	Not very much	None at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	10/12-15/14	22	35	33	9	1
	10/9-12/06	20	41	32	6	1
	10/13-16/05	18	35	39	7	1
	10/11-14/04	21	40	28	10	1
	10/6-8/03	20	40	31	8	1
	10/14-17/02	19	39	31	9	2
	10/11-14/01	25	41	27	6	1
	8/29 - 9/5/00	20	42	31	6	1
	3/5-7/99	29	41	25	4	1

"How much respect do you have for the police in your area: a great deal, some, or hardly any?"

		A great deal	Some	Hardly any	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	10/12-15/14	61	29	9	1
	10/13-16/05	56	33	11	-
	8/29 - 9/5/00	60	30	9	1
	3/5-7/99	64	29	7	-

CBS News/New York Times Poll. Aug. 19-20, 2014. N=1,025 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.

"Do you generally think of the police more as friends, more as enemies, or don't you think of them in either of these ways?"

		Friends	Enemies	Neither	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%	%
	ALL	42	10	44	3
	Whites	49	9	40	2
	Blacks	23	13	61	3

Gallup Poll. May 8-11, 2014. N=1,028 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.

"I'm going to read you a list of issues. Regardless of whether or not you think it should be legal, for each one, please tell me whether you personally believe that in general it is morally acceptable or morally wrong. How about the death penalty?"

		Morally acceptable	Morally wrong	Depends on situation (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	5/8-11/14	61	30	7	3
	5/2-7/13	62	31	5	2
	5/3-6/12	58	34	6	1

"Apart from your opinion about the death penalty, what form of punishment do you consider to be the most humane: the electric chair, the gas chamber, lethal injection, firing squad or hanging?"

		%
	Lethal injection	65
	Firing squad	9
	Hanging	5
	Electric chair	4
	Gas chamber	4
	None (vol.)	10
	Unsure	3

CNN/ORC Poll. Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2014. N=505 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.5.

"If you could choose between the following two approaches, which do you think is the better penalty for murder: the death penalty, or life imprisonment with absolutely no possibility of parole?"

		Death penalty	Life/No parole	Unsure
		%	%	%
	1/31 - 2/2/14	50	45	5
	9/23-25/11	48	50	2
	5/14-17/09	53	46	2

Gallup Poll. Oct. 3-6, 2013. N=1,028 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 4.

"Is there any area near where you live -- that is, within a mile -- where you would be afraid to walk alone at night?"

		Yes	No	Unsure
		%	%	%
	10/3-6/13	34	65	1
	10/6-9/11	38	61	-
	10/7-10/10	37	63	-
	10/1-4/09	34	66	-
	10/3-5/08	37	63	-
	10/4-7/07	37	62	-
	10/9-12/06	37	63	-
	10/13-16/05	38	62	-
	10/11-14/04	32	67	1
	10/6-8/03	36	64	-
	10/14-17/02	35	64	1
	10/11-14/01	30	69	1

Quinnipiac University Poll. July 28-31, 2013. N=1,468 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error ą 2.6.

"Some states have a law that says a person is legally entitled to fight back with deadly force if they feel threatened, even if they could retreat instead. Do you support or oppose this law for your state?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	53	40	7
	Republicans	75	19	6
	Democrats	32	62	6
	Independents	57	37	6
	Men	62	34	4
	Women	44	47	9
	Whites	57	37	6
	Blacks	37	57	6
	Hispanics	44	43	14

Monmouth University Poll. July 25-30, 2013. N=1,012 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.1.

"How much have you read or heard about the use of unmanned surveillance aircraft, sometimes called drones, by the U.S. military overseas: a great deal, some, just a little, or nothing at all?"

		A great deal	Some	Just a little	Nothing
		%	%	%	%
	7/25-30/13	29	31	25	15

"And how much have you read or heard about the use of unmanned surveillance drone aircraft by law enforcement agencies inside the United States: a great deal, some, just a little, or nothing at all?"

		A great deal	Some	Just a little	Nothing
		%	%	%	%
	7/25-30/13	18	29	27	25

"Do you support or oppose the use of drones to issue speeding tickets?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/25-30/13	21	72	6

"Do you support or oppose the use of drones to control illegal immigration on the nation's border?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/25-30/13	62	30	8

"Do you support or oppose the use of drones to help with search and rescue missions?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/25-30/13	83	11	6

"Do you support or oppose allowing law enforcement to use drones armed with weapons in hostage situations?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/25-30/13	52	38	9

"Do you support or oppose allowing law enforcement to use drones armed with weapons to patrol the nation's border?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/25-30/13	44	49	8

"How concerned would you be about your own privacy if U.S. law enforcement starts using unmanned drones with high tech cameras and recording equipment? Would you be very concerned, somewhat concerned, only a little concerned, or not at all concerned?"

		Very concerned	Somewhat concerned	Only a little concerned	Not at all concerned	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	7/25-30/13	49	20	15	14	2

"How confident are you that your LOCAL police department will use drones appropriately: very, somewhat, not too, or not at all confident?"

		Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not too confident	Not at all confident	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	7/25-30/13	12	32	19	32	5

"How confident are you that FEDERAL law enforcement agencies will use drones appropriately: very, somewhat, not too, or not at all confident?"

		Very confident	Somewhat confident	Not too confident	Not at all confident	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	7/25-30/13	11	36	18	31	4

"Should law enforcement agencies be required to obtain a warrant from a judge before using drones or should agencies be able to decide on their own when to use drones?"

		Obtain a warrant	Decide on their own	Depends (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	7/25-30/13	76	14	6	4

CBS News Poll. July 18-22, 2013. N=1,036 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"How do you feel about the jury's verdict in the George Zimmerman trial in which he was found not guilty in the shooting death of a teenager named Trayvon Martin? Are you pleased, satisfied but not pleased, disappointed but not angry, or angry?"

		Pleased	Satisfied but not pleased	Disappointed but not angry	Angry	Unsure/ No answer
		%	%	%	%	%
	7/18-22/13	18	24	29	17	11

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. July 18-21, 2013. N=1,002 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.5.

"Do you think blacks and other minorities receive equal treatment as whites in the criminal justice system or not?"

		Receive equal treatment	Do not receive equal treatment	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/18-21/13	45	50	6
	Blacks	8	86	6
	Hispanics	36	60	4
	Whites	54	41	6

	4/5-8/12	37	55	7
	Blacks	10	84	6
	Whites	44	49	7

"There is a case in Florida in which a neighborhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman, shot and killed an unarmed teenager, Trayvon Martin. As far as you've heard do you think this shooting was justified or unjustified, or do you not know enough about it to say?"

		Justified	Unjustified	Do not know enough	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	7/18-21/13	26	40	32	2
	Blacks	5	87	8	0
	Hispanics	16	34	50	1
	Whites	33	33	32	2

"Do you approve or disapprove of the jury's verdict last week finding Zimmerman not guilty in Martin's death?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/18-21/13	41	41	18
	Blacks	9	86	5
	Hispanics	24	50	26
	Whites	51	31	18

"Regardless of the verdict in the state criminal court, do you think the federal government should or should not charge Zimmerman in federal court with violating Martin's civil rights?"

		Should	Should not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	7/18-21/13	39	46	15
	Blacks	81	13	6
	Hispanics	58	26	16
	Whites	27	59	14

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). July 17-21, 2013. N=1,000 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.1.

"Has the George Zimmerman trial related to the death of Trayvon Martin increased your confidence in the legal system, decreased your confidence, or had no effect on your confidence in the legal system?"

		Increased	Decreased	Had no effect	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	7/17-21/13	17	32	48	3

Pew Research Center. July 17-21, 2013. N=1,480 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"As you may know, a jury found George Zimmerman not guilty in the death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin. Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with this verdict?"

		Satisfied	Dissatisfied	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%
	ALL	39	42	19
	Whites	49	30	21
	Blacks	5	86	9
	Hispanics	25	58	17

"Overall, do you think that this case raises important issues about race that need to be discussed, or the issue of race is getting more attention in this case than it deserves?" Options rotated

		Raises important issues	Getting more attention than it deserves	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%
	ALL	36	52	12
	Whites	28	60	12
	Blacks	78	13	8
	Hispanics	47	40	13

Gallup Poll. July 16-21, 2013. N=2,541 adults nationwide (margin of error ą 2), including 1,841 non-Hispanic whites (margin of error ą 3), 230 blacks (margin of error ą 8), 268 Hispanics (margin of error ą 8).

"How closely are you following the news about the fatal shooting in Florida of an African-American teenager named Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood watch volunteer named George Zimmerman: very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely or not at all?"

		Very closely	Somewhat closely	Not too closely	Not at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	29	38	21	11	2
	Whites	28	41	21	9	1
	Blacks	53	30	12	5	-
	Hispanics	17	34	24	21	4

"As you may know, a jury recently found George Zimmerman not guilty of second degree murder or manslaughter in the death of Trayvon Martin. From what you know about the case, do you think the verdict was right or wrong?"

		Right	Wrong	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	43	40	17
	Whites	54	30	17
	Blacks	7	85	8
	Hispanics	25	51	24

"Do you think the American justice system is biased against black people?"

		Yes, biased	No, not biased	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	33	61	6
	Whites	25	69	5
	Blacks	68	26	6
	Hispanics	40	52	8

CNN/ORC Poll. June 11-13, 2013. N=1,014 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"As you may know, a man named George Zimmerman was arrested in Florida last year and charged with second degree murder for the shooting of a teenager named Trayvon Martin. Based on what you have read or heard about this incident, do you personally believe that the charges against George Zimmerman are definitely true, probably true, probably not true, or definitely not true?"

		Definitely true	Probably true	Probably not true	Definitely not true	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	6/11-13/13	18	44	20	5	13

University of Connecticut/Hartford Courant Poll. Jan. 22-28, 2013. N=1,002 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"Do you think shootings, like the one that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, reflect broader problems in American society, or are things like this just the isolated acts of troubled individuals?"

		Broader problems	Isolated acts	Both (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	1/22-28/13	43	43	10	5

Pew Research Center. July 26-29, 2012. N=1,010 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.6.

"Thinking about the shooting in Colorado last week, do you think this shooting reflects broader problems in American society, or are things like this just the isolated acts of troubled individuals?"

		Broader problems	Isolated acts	Unsure/ Refused
		%	%	%
	7/26-29/12	24	67	8

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Bill McInturff (R). April 13-17, 2012. N=1,000 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.1.

"Have you seen, read, or heard the news coverage about the arrest and indictment of George Zimmerman for murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, in Sanford, Florida?" If yes: "And, do you agree or disagree with George Zimmerman being charged with murder in this case or do you not have an opinion at this time?"

		Agree with being charged	Disagree with being charged	Don't have an opinion	Haven't seen coverage	Refused
		%	%	%	%	%
	4/13-17/12	45	9	38	8	1

CNN/ORC Poll. April 13-15, 2012. N=1,015 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"As you may know, a man named George Zimmerman has been arrested in Florida and charged with second degree murder for the shooting of a teenager named Trayvon Martin. Based on what you have read or heard about this incident, do you think George Zimmerman should or should not have been arrested for shooting Trayvon Martin?"

		Should have been	Should not have been	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	78	11	11
	Whites	74	14	12
	Non-whites	88	5	7

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. April 5-8, 2012. N=1,103 adults nationwide, including an oversample of 100 blacks. Margin of error ą 3.5 for all respondents, 4.5 for whites, 8.5 for blacks.

"There recently was a case in Florida in which a neighborhood watch volunteer shot and killed an unarmed teenager. As far as you've heard, do you think this shooting was justified or unjustified, or do you not know enough about it to say?"

		Justified	Unjustified	Do not know enough	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	ALL	4	44	51	1
	Blacks	1	80	19	0
	Whites	5	38	56	1

"Some states have a law that says a person is legally entitled to fight back with deadly force if they feel threatened, even if they could retreat instead. Do you personally support or oppose that law?"

		Support	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	50	45	5
	Blacks	28	69	3
	Whites	55	40	5

USA Today/Gallup Poll. April 2-4, 2012. N=3,006 adults nationwide (margin of error ą 2), including 2,334 non-Hispanic whites (margin of error ą 3), 242 blacks (margin of error ą 8). Interviews conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking.

"How closely are you following the news about the fatal shooting in Florida of an African-American teenager named Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood watch volunteer named George Zimmerman: very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely or not at all?"

		Very closely	Somewhat closely	Not too closely	Not at all	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	22	39	22	15	2
	Whites	19	42	24	13	2
	Blacks	52	28	12	7	1

"Next, we'd like you to think about whether George Zimmerman is guilty of a crime. From what you have heard or read about this case, do you think he is definitely guilty of a crime, probably guilty, probably not guilty, definitely not guilty of a crime, or is it unclear from the available information?"

		Definitely guilty	Probably guilty	Probably not guilty	Definitely not guilty	Unclear
		%	%	%	%	%
	ALL	15	21	5	2	52
	Whites	10	20	6	2	58
	Blacks	51	21	-	1	26

"Now, we'd like you to think about the events that led up to the shooting of Trayvon Martin and the shooting itself. Just your opinion, how much of a factor did racial bias play in these events -- was it a major factor, a minor factor, or not a factor at all?"

		Major factor	Minor factor	Not a factor	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	ALL	35	25	23	17
	Whites	30	26	27	17
	Blacks	72	13	8	7

"As you may know, authorities in Florida have not arrested George Zimmerman. Do you think he would have been arrested if the circumstances were the same except that the person he shot was white, or do you think Trayvon Martin's race did not make a difference?"

		Would have been if victim white	Race did not make a difference	Unsure
		%	%	%
	ALL	39	46	16
	Whites	33	52	15
	Blacks	73	20	8

CNN/ORC Poll. March 24-25 2012. N=1,014 adults nationwide. Margin of error ą 3.

"How much attention have you paid to the fatal shooting in Florida last month of a teenager named Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood watch volunteer named George Zimmerman: a great deal of attention, some, only a little, or not much attention?"

		A great deal	Some	Only a little	Not much	Unsure
		%	%	%	%	%
	3/24-25/12	35	32	13	19	1

"Based on what you have read or heard about this incident, do you think the police should or should not arrest George Zimmerman for shooting Trayvon Martin?"

		Should	Should not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/24-25/12	73	11	16

"As you may know, many areas have a 'neighborhood watch' program in which people who are not police officers patrol their neighborhoods and alert the police when they see a crime being committed. Do you think people who participate in those neighborhood watch programs should or should not carry guns?"

		Should	Should not	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/24-25/12	22	76	1

"Some states have enacted legislation known as 'stand your ground laws.' Under those laws, people who are in a public place and believe that their life or safety is in danger are allowed to kill or injure the person who they think is threatening them. Do you approve or disapprove of those laws?"

		Approve	Disapprove	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/24-25/12	55	43	2

Crime continued

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