GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- A new Â鶹´«Ã½AV poll finds that the war on terrorism at home and abroad comes at a time when Americans are feeling safer from crime than they have at any other point in over 30 years. National crime rates have steadily declined over the past decade, and, despite the shock of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Americans increasingly recognize this positive trend.
Compared to last year at about this time, the Oct. 11-14 survey shows that Americans are more likely to feel safe in their neighborhoods, less likely to worry about being the victim of a serious crime, and more likely to feel that major American cities, including New York and Washington, D.C., are safe to live in and visit. Close to half of Americans now believe that crime nationwide is declining, the highest level of optimism about crime recorded in over 10 years. There has also been a slight increase in confidence in the police to protect people from violent crime.
Despite these positive changes in public perceptions about crime, the fact remains that roughly half of Americans are less than optimistic, saying they believe crime rates have risen or stayed the same over the past year, when in fact crime has dropped by a record amount.
Dampening the positive ramifications that declining public concern over crime might otherwise have on Americans' way of life, the survey shows that Americans are spending more time these days worrying about terrorism than about conventional crime. Close to half of Americans surveyed, 47%, say they frequently or occasionally worry about becoming a terrorist victim, compared to less than half that number who worry about being the victim of conventional violent crimes, such as muggings.
Declining Crime Rates Sinking In
Serious crime began to decline in the mid-1990s and has continued downward ever since. In 1993, the rate of violent crimes in the United States was 54 cases per 1,000 persons aged 12 and older, and the rate of property crimes, such as burglary and car theft, was 319 cases per 1,000. In 2000 these rates were 29 and 178, respectively, representing a nearly 50% reduction in crime over this short period. Last year alone, the nation's violent crime rate fell by 14% -- the largest one-year decline ever recorded by the Justice Department. At the same time, property crime fell by 10%.
Today, despite the major declines in crime during 2000, responses to a Â鶹´«Ã½AV question that has been asked for a number of years shows that only 43% of Americans believe there is less crime in the United States today than there was a year ago. A similar number, 41%, believe there is more crime today while 10% believe it has remained the same.
Â鶹´«Ã½AV polling indicates that while a majority of Americans apparently remain unaware of the lower crime rates, more Americans are catching on. The public's pessimism about crime peaked in 1992 when 89% believed there was more crime in the United States than there was the year prior -- a correct judgement at the time. That figure has steadily dropped in subsequent years, to 71% in 1996, 52% in 1998, 47% in 2000 and 41% today, the lowest in the 12 years Â鶹´«Ã½AV has been asking the question.
Public perceptions about changes in crime rates locally have followed a pattern similar to perceptions of national crime, but the overall negative assessment of local crime is consistently lower. For both the national and local levels, Americans' negative assessment of crime rates is now less than half of what it was in 1992. In 1992, 89% of Americans felt there was more crime in the United States than there was in the prior year and 54% felt there was more crime in their area. Today these figures are 41% and 26%, respectively.
| Public Perceptions of Crime Rates |
 |
Personal Fear Down as Well
Just as Americans are increasingly likely to recognize that crime is less of a problem in their area and the nation than it was in previous years, fewer Americans express fear for their personal safety in their local area. In 1993, 43% of Americans said there was an area within a mile of their home where they would be afraid to walk alone at night. Today that figure is only 30%. The last time Â鶹´«Ã½AV found public fear of walking alone at night in their area this low was in 1968.
Women are twice as likely as men to indicate fear for their safety in their local area: 39% of women say there is an area within a mile where they would be afraid to walk alone, compared to only 19% of men. Not surprisingly, 42% of residents of urban areas express this concern, compared to only a quarter of those living in either suburban (25%) or rural areas (27%). Only minor differences in fear are seen among people of various age groups, but there are large differences by household income. Only 18% of those earning high incomes (those making $75,000 or more) say they would be fearful in walking alone at night near their home, compared to 43% of those in the lowest income bracket (those earning less than $20,000). This is consistent with crime statistics showing that the poor are much more likely to be the victims of crime, particularly violent crime.
Along with declining personal fear, Â鶹´«Ã½AV finds an increase from last year in public confidence in the police to protect people from violent crime. Two-thirds of Americans, 66%, now express high levels of confidence in the police on this measure, up from 62% last year. Confidence was at a higher point in 1999, when 70% rated the police this highly, but prior to that it was substantially lower, registering only 55% in 1998 and registering below 50% in 1981, 1989 and 1993.
Terrorist Fears Weigh More Heavily Than Crime
According to the new survey, Americans are more likely to worry about being the victim of terrorism than they are to worry about being murdered, mugged, robbed, carjacked, or any of several other serious crimes -- although the difference between worry about terrorism and some of these more conventional crimes is not large. Close to half of Americans interviewed in the Oct. 11-14 survey -- 47% -- say they frequently or occasionally worry about being the victim of terrorism, compared to an average of only 23% who worry this often about conventional crimes.
Americans' top concerns, aside from terrorism, are having their car stolen or broken into (41% frequently or occasionally worry about this) and having their home burglarized when they are not there (40%). Close to a third of Americans, 31%, worry about a school-aged child of theirs being physically harmed while at school.
Violent crimes register far less worry, ranging from 23% who worry about getting mugged, down to 13% who worry about getting murdered. Just 13% also worry about being the victim of a hate crime. And only 7% of all Americans, including just 9% of those who work, say they worry about being assaulted or killed in the workplace by another employee.
| Crime Worries |
 |
| Oct. 11-14, 2001 |
Looking just at the percentage of Americans who "frequently" worry about each crime helps to highlight the terror in terrorism. More than one in five Americans, 21%, tell Â鶹´«Ã½AV that they worry frequently about being the victim of terrorism. This is 50% greater than the 14% who worry this much about the second-ranked concern of having a car stolen or broken into. It is up to five times greater than the number who frequently worry about conventional types of violent crime such as getting mugged (6%), murdered (4%) or sexually assaulted (4%).
It should be noted that, taking into account all those injured or killed by the terrorism of Sept. 11, and all those testing positive for anthrax exposure in recent weeks, the number of people who have been terrorist victims is very small compared to those who have been victims of conventional crime. Roughly one in 15,000 Americans are among the victims of terrorism since Sept. 11, compared to the incidence of conventional crime, which is one in five.
Most Major Cities Now Considered "Safe"
Since 1990, Â鶹´«Ã½AV has asked Americans to rate the safety of 14 large American cities, and, over this period, the number of cities considered "safe" to live in or visit has increased from five to nine. Originally, only Dallas, Seattle, Houston, Boston and Minneapolis on the list were considered safe by a majority of Americans. But added to their number today are San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia.
Despite the fact that New York and Washington, D.C. were recently targeted for devastating terrorist attacks, all of the 14 major American cities tested by Â鶹´«Ã½AV between 1990 and today have seen improved ratings for their perceived safety. In fact, New York has seen the largest improvement in public perceptions of its safety of any large American city over the past decade. Only 11% of Americans considered the Big Apple safe in 1990, compared to 33% a year ago and 41% today. However, a majority, 57%, still consider it unsafe.
In addition to New York, more people also continue to see Miami, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Washington, D.C. as unsafe than see them as safe. Of all the cities in this group, Los Angeles has had the least improvement in public perceptions since 1990, with the number calling it safe increasing by only 13 points, compared to 22 points for Miami and 21 for both Detroit and Washington, D.C.
Minneapolis and Seattle have swapped first and second place on Â鶹´«Ã½AV's Safe Cities ranking since 1990, and this year, Minneapolis emerged the winner. Several cities receive similar scores at the bottom of the list this year, including Los Angeles, Miami and Detroit, with New York and Washington slightly higher.
But to prove size alone doesn't determine one's reputation for safety, Miami and Minneapolis are the two smallest cities on Â鶹´«Ã½AV's list of 14 tested, nevertheless they sit on opposite ends of the rankings.
|
Perception of Cities as Safe to Live In or Visit |
||||
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
||||
|
(sorted by "net safe") |
||||
|
Net Safe |
Safe |
Unsafe |
||
|
% |
% |
% |
||
|
Rank |
||||
|
1 |
Minneapolis |
64 |
77 |
13 |
|
2 |
Seattle |
52 |
73 |
21 |
|
3 |
Dallas |
43 |
68 |
25 |
|
4 |
Boston |
39 |
66 |
27 |
|
5 |
Houston |
35 |
64 |
29 |
|
6 |
San Francisco |
33 |
64 |
31 |
|
7 |
Atlanta |
29 |
62 |
33 |
|
8 |
Philadelphia |
27 |
60 |
33 |
|
9 |
Chicago |
10 |
53 |
43 |
|
10 |
Washington, D.C. |
-12 |
43 |
55 |
|
11 |
New York |
-16 |
41 |
57 |
|
12 |
Detroit |
-16 |
39 |
55 |
|
13 |
Miami |
-17 |
39 |
56 |
|
14 |
Los Angeles |
-18 |
39 |
57 |
Americans Bolder About Going Out
Perhaps because of improved perceptions of safety over the past year, two common methods of crime prevention used by Americans have seen declines since 2000.
- The percentage of Americans who report that they avoid going to certain places or neighborhoods because of concern over crime has dropped fairly sharply, from 56% in 2000 to 43% today.
- Over the same period, there has been a slight decline in the percentage of Americans who say they have installed special locks in their home, from 39% to 32%.
In all other areas of crime prevention measured, there has been no change in personal behavior since 2000. Roughly one-third (32% today) say they keep a dog for protection, just under one-quarter have installed a burglar alarm in their home (23%) or have bought a gun for protection (21%). Slightly fewer (17%) say they have taken a self-defense course and the same number say they carry mace or pepper spray. Just 11% and 9%, respectively, say they carry either a gun or a knife for self-defense.
| Crime Prevention Methods |
 |
| Oct. 11-14, 2001 |
Gun Ownership Unchanged
Since Sept. 11 there have been some news reports of widespread gun purchasing around the country. However, Â鶹´«Ã½AV finds no significant increase in the percentage of Americans who say they have a gun in their home, compared to last year. The figure is 40% today -- similar to the average rate of 40.5% recorded in 2000. Thus, to the extent these reports are true, it may be that people who already own firearms are making the purchases, rather than new gun owners.
Survey Methods
These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,011 adults, 18 years and older, conducted Oct. 11-14, 2001. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
Is there more crime in your area than there was a year ago, or less?
|
More |
Less |
SAME (vol.) |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
26 |
52 |
18 |
4 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
34 |
46 |
15 |
5 |
|
1998 Oct 23-25 |
31 |
48 |
16 |
5 |
|
1997 Aug 22-25 |
46 |
32 |
20 |
2 |
|
1996 Jul 25-28 |
46 |
24 |
25 |
5 |
|
1992 Feb 28-Mar 1 |
54 |
19 |
23 |
4 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
51 |
18 |
24 |
8 |
|
1989 Jun 8-11 |
53 |
18 |
22 |
7 |
|
1989 Jan 24-28 |
47 |
21 |
27 |
5 |
|
1983 Jan 28-31 |
37 |
17 |
36 |
10 |
|
1981 Jan 9-12 |
54 |
8 |
29 |
9 |
|
1977 Nov 18-21 |
43 |
17 |
32 |
8 |
|
1975 Jun 27-30 |
50 |
12 |
29 |
9 |
|
1972 Dec 8-11 |
51 |
10 |
27 |
12 |
|
(vol.) Volunteered response |
||||
Is there more crime in the U.S. than there was a year ago, or less?
|
More |
Less |
SAME (vol.) |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
41 |
43 |
10 |
6 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
47 |
41 |
7 |
5 |
|
1998 Oct 23-25 |
52 |
35 |
8 |
5 |
|
1997 Aug 22-25 |
64 |
25 |
6 |
5 |
|
1996 Jul 25-28 |
71 |
15 |
8 |
6 |
|
1993 Oct 13-18 |
87 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
|
1992 Feb 28-Mar 1 |
89 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
|
1990 Sep 10 |
84 |
3 |
7 |
6 |
|
1989 Jan 24-28 |
84 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
|
(vol.) Volunteered response |
||||
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 |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
30 |
69 |
1 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
34 |
66 |
* |
|
1997 Aug 22-25 |
38 |
61 |
1 |
|
1996 Jul 25-28 |
39 |
60 |
1 |
|
1994 Dec 19-26 |
39 |
60 |
-- |
|
1993 Oct 13-18 |
43 |
56 |
1 |
|
1992 Feb 28-Mar 1 |
44 |
56 |
-- |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
40 |
59 |
-- |
|
1989 Jan 24-28 |
43 |
57 |
-- |
|
1983 Jan 28-31 |
45 |
55 |
* |
|
1982 Jan 22-25 |
48 |
52 |
* |
|
1981 Jan 16-23 |
53 |
46 |
1 |
|
1981 Jan 9-12 |
45 |
55 |
-- |
|
1979 Nov 2-5 |
42 |
58 |
-- |
|
1977 Nov 18-21 |
45 |
55 |
-- |
|
1975 Jun 27-30 |
45 |
55 |
-- |
|
1972 Dec 8-11 |
42 |
57 |
1 |
|
1968 Sep 19-24 |
35 |
62 |
3 |
|
1968 |
31 |
69 |
-- |
|
1967 Aug 3-8 |
31 |
67 |
3 |
|
1965 Apr 2-7 |
34 |
66 |
-- |
|
* Less than 0.5% |
|||
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 |
Quite |
Not very |
None |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
25 |
41 |
27 |
6 |
1 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
20 |
42 |
31 |
6 |
1 |
|
1999 Mar 5-7 |
29 |
41 |
25 |
4 |
1 |
|
1998 Oct 23-25 |
19 |
36 |
37 |
8 |
* |
|
1995 Sep 22-24 |
20 |
30 |
39 |
9 |
2 |
|
1993 Oct 13-18 |
14 |
31 |
45 |
9 |
1 |
|
1989 |
14 |
34 |
42 |
8 |
2 |
|
1985 |
15 |
37 |
39 |
6 |
3 |
|
1981 |
15 |
34 |
42 |
8 |
1 |
How often do you, yourself, worry about the following things -- frequently, occasionally, rarely or never? First , ... Next, … [ITEMS A-J ROTATED, THEN ITEM K READ]
A. Getting murdered
|
|
|
|
|
DOESN'T APPLY (vol.) |
No |
||
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
4% |
9 |
31 |
56 |
* |
* |
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
6% |
12 |
31 |
51 |
* |
* |
|
B. Getting mugged
|
|
|
|
|
DOESN'T APPLY (vol.) |
No |
||
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
6% |
17 |
36 |
41 |
* |
* |
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
9% |
21 |
33 |
36 |
1 |
* |
|
C. Your home being burglarized when you are not there
|
|
|
|
|
DOESN'T APPLY (vol.) |
No |
||
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
12% |
28 |
33 |
26 |
* |
1 |
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
16% |
32 |
28 |
24 |
0 |
* |
|
D. Your home being burglarized when you are there
|
|
|
|
|
DOESN'T APPLY (vol.) |
No |
||
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
6% |
16 |
33 |
45 |
* |
* |
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
10% |
21 |
30 |
39 |
* |
0 |
|
E. Being sexually assaulted
|
|
|
|
|
DOESN'T APPLY (vol.) |
No |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
4% |
15 |
24 |
57 |
* |
* |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 ^ |
7% |
16 |
24 |
52 |
1 |
* |
|
^ WORDING: Being raped or sexually assaulted |
||||||
F. Being attacked while driving your car
|
|
|
|
|
DOESN'T APPLY (vol.) |
No |
||
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
6% |
15 |
29 |
46 |
4 |
* |
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
9% |
20 |
29 |
40 |
2 |
* |
|
G. Having your car stolen or broken into
|
|
|
|
|
DOESN'T APPLY (vol.) |
No |
||
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
14% |
27 |
30 |
26 |
3 |
* |
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
16% |
32 |
26 |
24 |
2 |
* |
|
H. Being the victim of a hate crime
|
|
|
|
|
DOESN'T APPLY (vol.) |
No |
||
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
5% |
8 |
26 |
60 |
* |
1 |
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
6% |
10 |
26 |
56 |
1 |
1 |
|
I. Being assaulted or killed by a co-worker or other employee where you work
|
|
|
|
|
DOESN'T APPLY (vol.) |
No |
||
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
2% |
5 |
18 |
62 |
13 |
* |
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
1% |
6 |
18 |
62 |
12 |
1 |
|
J. Having a school-aged child of yours physically harmed while attending school
|
|
|
|
|
DOESN'T APPLY (vol.) |
No |
||
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
13% |
18 |
18 |
23 |
28 |
* |
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
17% |
17 |
17 |
22 |
27 |
* |
|
K. Being a victim of terrorism
|
|
|
|
|
DOESN'T APPLY (vol.) |
No |
||
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
21% |
26 |
28 |
25 |
* |
* |
|
|
* Less than 0.5% |
|||||||
|
(vol.) Volunteered response |
|||||||
FEAR OF CRIME SUMMARY TABLE
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
|
|
Rarely or Never |
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
Being the victim of terrorism |
21 |
26 |
53 |
|
Having your car stolen or broken into |
14 |
27 |
56 |
|
Having a school-aged child of yours physically harmed while attending school |
13 |
18 |
41 |
|
Your home being burglarized when you are not there |
12 |
28 |
59 |
|
Getting mugged |
6 |
17 |
77 |
|
Being attacked while driving your car |
6 |
15 |
75 |
|
Your home being burglarized when you are there |
6 |
16 |
78 |
|
Being the victim of a hate crime |
5 |
8 |
86 |
|
Getting murdered |
4 |
9 |
87 |
|
Being sexually assaulted |
4 |
15 |
81 |
|
Being assaulted or killed by a co-worker or other employee where you work |
2 |
5 |
80 |
Now thinking about some large cities, both those you have visited and those you have never visited, from what you know and have read, do you consider each of the following cities to be safe to live in or visit, or not? How about …[RANDOM ORDER]
ITEMS A-G: BASED ON -- 485 -- NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM A; ± 5 PCT. PTS.
ITEMS H-N: BASED ON -- 526 -- NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM B; ± 5 PCT. PTS.
A. Miami
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
39 |
56 |
5 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
31 |
65 |
4 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
16 |
80 |
4 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
17 |
76 |
7 |
B. Los Angeles
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
39 |
57 |
4 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
29 |
67 |
4 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
22 |
73 |
5 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
26 |
64 |
10 |
C. Detroit
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
39 |
55 |
6 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
33 |
60 |
7 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
26 |
65 |
9 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
18 |
68 |
14 |
D. San Francisco
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
64 |
31 |
5 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
58 |
37 |
5 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
52 |
42 |
6 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
44 |
43 |
13 |
E. Atlanta
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
62 |
33 |
5 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
56 |
37 |
7 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
59 |
31 |
10 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
45 |
39 |
16 |
F. Dallas
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
68 |
25 |
7 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
62 |
29 |
9 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
66 |
24 |
10 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
55 |
26 |
19 |
G. Seattle
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
73 |
21 |
6 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
76 |
17 |
7 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
73 |
17 |
10 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
68 |
16 |
16 |
H. New York
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
41 |
57 |
2 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
33 |
64 |
3 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
20 |
76 |
4 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
11 |
85 |
4 |
I. Washington, D.C.
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
43 |
55 |
2 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
36 |
58 |
6 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
29 |
66 |
5 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
22 |
71 |
7 |
J. Chicago
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
53 |
43 |
4 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
44 |
51 |
5 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
34 |
60 |
6 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
26 |
65 |
9 |
K. Philadelphia
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
60 |
33 |
7 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
50 |
42 |
8 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
51 |
37 |
12 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
40 |
40 |
20 |
L. Houston
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
64 |
29 |
7 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
59 |
31 |
10 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
63 |
26 |
11 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
55 |
25 |
20 |
M. Boston
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
66 |
27 |
7 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
64 |
30 |
6 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
64 |
24 |
12 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
53 |
29 |
18 |
N. Minneapolis
|
Safe |
Unsafe |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
77 |
13 |
10 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
70 |
18 |
12 |
|
1993 Sep 13-15 |
74 |
13 |
13 |
|
1990 Sep 10-11 |
66 |
11 |
23 |
SUMMARY TABLE OF SAFENESS
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
|
|
|
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
Minneapolis |
77 |
70 |
74 |
66 |
|
Seattle |
73 |
76 |
73 |
68 |
|
Dallas |
68 |
62 |
66 |
55 |
|
Boston |
66 |
64 |
64 |
53 |
|
Houston |
64 |
59 |
63 |
55 |
|
San Francisco |
64 |
58 |
52 |
44 |
|
Atlanta |
62 |
56 |
59 |
45 |
|
Philadelphia |
60 |
50 |
51 |
40 |
|
Chicago |
53 |
44 |
34 |
26 |
|
Washington, D.C. |
43 |
36 |
29 |
22 |
|
New York |
41 |
33 |
20 |
11 |
|
Detroit |
39 |
33 |
26 |
18 |
|
Los Angeles |
39 |
29 |
22 |
26 |
|
Miami |
39 |
31 |
16 |
17 |
Next, I'm going to read some things people do because of their concern over crime. Please tell me which, if any, of these things you, yourself, do or have done. First, ... Next, ... [RANDOM ORDER]
A. Keep a dog for protection
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
32% |
68 |
* |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
32% |
68 |
* |
B. Bought a gun for protection of yourself or your home
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
21% |
78 |
1 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
22% |
78 |
* |
C. Had special locks installed in your home
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
32% |
67 |
1 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
39% |
60 |
1 |
D. Carry a gun for defense
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
11% |
89 |
* |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
12% |
87 |
1 |
E Carry a knife for defense
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
9% |
91 |
* |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
10% |
90 |
* |
F. Had a burglar alarm installed in your home
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
23% |
76 |
1 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
23% |
76 |
1 |
G. Carry mace or pepper spray
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
17% |
83 |
* |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
18% |
82 |
* |
H. Avoid going to certain places or neighborhoods you might otherwise want to go to
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
43% |
56 |
1 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
56% |
44 |
* |
I. Taken a self-defense course
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
17% |
83 |
* |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
18% |
82 |
* |
|
* Less than 0.5% |
|||
CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES SUMMARY TABLE
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
|
|
|
% |
% |
|
|
Avoid going to certain places/neighborhoods you might otherwise want to go to |
43 |
56 |
|
Had special locks installed on your home |
32 |
67 |
|
Keep a dog for protection |
32 |
68 |
|
Had a burglar alarm installed in your home |
23 |
76 |
|
Bought a gun for protection of yourself and your home |
21 |
78 |
|
Taken a self-defense course |
17 |
83 |
|
Carry mace or pepper spray |
17 |
83 |
|
Carry a gun for defense |
11 |
89 |
|
Carry a knife for defense |
9 |
91 |
Do you have a gun in your home?
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14 |
40 |
59 |
1 |
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 |
39 |
60 |
1 |
|
2000 Apr 7-9 |
42 |
57 |
1 |
|
1999 Apr 26-27 |
34 |
64 |
2 |
|
1999 Feb 8-9 |
36 |
62 |
2 |
|
1997 Aug 22-25 |
42 |
57 |
1 |
|
1996 Nov 21-24 |
44 |
54 |
2 |
|
1996 Jul 25-28 |
38 |
60 |
2 |
|
1993 Oct 13-18 |
51 |
48 |
1 |
|
1993 Mar 12-14 |
48 |
51 |
1 |
|
1991 |
46 |
53 |
1 |
|
1990 |
47 |
52 |
1 |
|
1989 |
47 |
51 |
2 |
|
1985 |
44 |
55 |
1 |
|
1983 |
40 |
58 |
2 |
|
1980 |
45 |
53 |
2 |
|
1975 |
44 |
54 |
2 |
|
1972 |
43 |
55 |
2 |
|
1968 |
50 |
50 |
-- |
|
1965 |
48 |
52 |
-- |
|
1959 |
49 |
51 |
-- |
