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Curated

ABC News "Nightline" Catholic Church Poll, February 2002 (ICPSR 3430)

Released/updated on: 2002-06-27

Geographic coverage: United States

This special topic poll was undertaken to gauge respondents' reactions and feelings regarding the recent allegations of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests and cover-ups by the Catholic Church. The poll also attempted to assess how these allegations had influenced respondents' feelings about the Catholic Church in general. Respondents were asked if they had heard of the scandal surrounding Catholic priest John Geoghan, a Boston clergyman accused of molesting over 80 children, if the case had concerned them, how serious a problem they viewed sexual abuse of children by priests to be, and how often they thought that sexual abuse by priests occurred. Those queried were then asked if they thought the Catholic Church was doing enough to address the problem of sexual abuse by priests, if they thought the recent allegations had harmed the overall reputation of the Catholic Church, if they thought Catholic priests were more likely then other men to sexually abuse children, and if they believed that the policy of the Catholic Church prohibiting priests from marrying contributed to the problem. Finally, respondents were asked a series of questions designed to assess their opinions of the Catholic Church's past responses to allegations of sexual misconduct and their ideas on how the Church should respond in the future. They were asked whether they agreed with the church's response of transferring a priest who had been accused of sexual abuse to another parish, whether they believed that the church should inform parishioners and/or police if a parish priest was accused of sexually abusing a child, and whether the church should be required by law to inform police or parishioners. The results of the poll were announced on the ABC television program "Nightline." Background information on respondents includes age, gender, political party, education, religion, typical attendance of religious services, and ethnicity. Catholic respondents were also asked how much they trusted their own parish priest around children.

Curated

ABC News Papal Visit Poll, August 1987 (ICPSR 8892)

Released/updated on: 2007-07-03

Geographic coverage: United States

This survey was conducted prior to Pope John Paul II's visit to the United States in September 1987. Respondents were asked for their opinions on Pope John Paul and on a number of moral issues including abortion, homosexuality, alternative means of conception, birth control, and the involvement of religious leaders in politics. Opinions also were sought on certain policies of the Roman Catholic Church that prohibit priests from marrying and women from becoming priests. Respondents were queried regarding their religious upbringing and current practice, and those who identified themselves as Catholics were asked additional questions relating to the Pope and religious issues. Demographic characteristic of respondents are included.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Catholic Church in Crisis Poll, March 2002 (ICPSR 3432)

Released/updated on: 2002-06-27

Geographic coverage: United States

This special topic poll was designed to ascertain the feelings and opinions respondents surveyed about the recent scandals within the Catholic Church concerning the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests. Those surveyed were asked to describe their views toward the Catholic Church, specifically whether they endorsed the Roman Catholic Church policies that priests cannot get married and that women cannot become priests, whether they agreed with the way the Catholic Church has dealt with the issue of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests, whether such abuse is common, whether the Catholic Church was taking the proper actions to deal with the issue, whether this issue had hurt the overall reputation of the Catholic Church in their eyes, and if so, by how much. Respondents were asked if they believed Catholic priests were more likely than other men to sexually abuse children, and if the following policies and practices were part of the problem: not allowing priests to marry, not allowing women to be priests, transferring priests accused of sexual abuse to another parish, not calling the police when a priest was accused of sexual abuse, being reluctant to dismiss priests because of a shortage of priests, or the lack of Vatican oversight of the Catholic Church in the United States. Persons queried were asked whether they approved of transferring a priest who had been accused of sexually abusing a child to another parish without telling parishioners about the accusation, whether the Church should inform parishioners and/or the police about such charges, and whether the Church should be required to do this by law. Respondents were then questioned about their overall opinions on how the Church had handled the issue, as well as their knowledge of instances in which a Catholic priest had been accused of sexually abusing children in their community, or instances in which friends or relatives had been abused by a Catholic priest. Persons of the Catholic faith were asked how satisfied they were with the leadership provided by their parish priest or priests, their bishop, and the Pope, whether the church effectively involved lay people in deciding church policies, and whether they approved of the way their parish priest or priests, their bishop, and the national leaders of the Catholic Church had handled the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests. Catholic respondents were also asked whether their diocese should publicly report the amount of money paid to settle lawsuits against priests accused of sexually abusing children, if their diocese should publicly release the names of priests who had been accused of sexually abusing children, whether the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests had caused them to alter the amount of money they gave to the Church in donations, if this issue had caused them to reexamine their personal faith, if they were aware of any priests in their own parish that have been accused of sexually abusing children, whether there was a chance that they would leave the Roman Catholic Church, how likely they were to leave, and if their leaving was motivated in some way by the issue of sexual abuse by priests. Non-Catholic persons were asked if they were aware of any clergy within their religious congregation that had been accused of sexually abusing children. Additionally, all persons queried were asked whether they approved of the way President George W. Bush was handling his job. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, education, religion, frequency of attendance at religious services, race, and Hispanic origin.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Monthly Poll, April 2005 (ICPSR 4326)

Released/updated on: 2006-12-11

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll, conducted April 21-24, 2005, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the current presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were queried on such topics as Social Security benefits, parenthood, young people joining the military, capital punishment, same-sex marriage, stem cell research, and whether abortion should be legal in all cases. Respondents were asked how President George W. Bush was handling his presidency, the economy, the situation in Iraq, and the United States campaign against terrorism. A series of questions also focused on Tom Delay, the majority leader of the United States House of Representatives, and the ethics charges made against him, and whether he should step down as majority leader.

A random national sample of 1,082 adults were given this poll, including an oversample of 284 Catholic respondents, who were asked an additional group of questions about Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic Church. Questions asked included their feelings about the selection of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as pope, whether they approved or disapproved of the selection, if they thought he should maintain the traditional policies of the Church, and what should be his highest priority (e.g., responding to the concerns of women in the Church, encouraging human rights, or addressing the issue of sexual abuse by priests). Other questions included whether the Roman Catholic Church was in touch with the views of Catholics in America, whether the respondent would want their son to become a priest, and whether they would support the Catholic Church denying communion to Catholic politicians who are in favor of legal abortion.

Demographic variables include race, gender, age, level of education, income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, and religious affiliation.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, April 2002 (ICPSR 3433)

Released/updated on: 2002-06-27

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency, the economy, and the situation between Israel and the Palestinians. Respondents also expressed their views on the United States campaign against terrorism, the situation regarding Osama bin Laden, and the support given to the United States by Muslim people around the world. In addition, respondents voiced their concerns about more future terrorist attacks on the United States, their feelings toward Israel and the Palestinians, and their views on the role of the United States in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and the pursuit of peace in the Middle East. The poll elicited respondents' views on the influence of Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to the Middle East on the prospects for peace, the negotiations and actions taken by Israel and the Palestinians, the responsibility of the leader of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat for terrorist attacks against Israel by Palestinians, the support of the United States for Israel, and the United States efforts in the war on terrorism. Respondents also answered a set of questions regarding the Catholic Church, its handling the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests, the level of trust respondents felt toward the Church in handling this issue in the future, their opinions of Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston, who was accused of mishandling the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests, and the outcome of the American cardinals' meeting at the Vatican. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, political party, education, religion and religious activities, Hispanic origin, race, and household income.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, April 2008 (ICPSR 24606)

Released/updated on: 2009-11-12

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll, fielded April 10-13, 2008, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A random national sample of 1,197 adults were surveyed, including additional interviews with randomly selected African Americans and Catholics, for a total of 213 African American respondents and 292 Catholic respondents. Views were sought on how well George W. Bush was handling the presidency, the war in Iraq, and the economy. Respondents were asked what they thought was the single most important issue in their choice for president, and their opinion of Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton. Respondents were also queried on whether they thought the war in Iraq was worth fighting, whether significant progress was made toward restoring civil order, whether the United States should keep its military forces there until civil order is restored, and whether they thought the United States must win the war in Iraq for the war on terrorism to be a success. Information was collected on how closely respondents were following the 2008 presidential race, which candidate they would like see win the Democratic nomination for president, whether the tone of the Democratic campaign was positive, whether the length of the Democratic race was good for Democrats, and how the super delegates should choose which candidate to nominate based on different counting methods. Several questions asked respondents to compare Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and which candidate they trusted to handle issues such as international trade, the economy, and health care. Respondents were asked which candidate they would vote for if the 2008 presidential election were being held that day and whether a Democratic or Republican president would do a better job handling the situation in Iraq and the economy. Views were sought on Pope Benedict XVI and whether he should maintain the traditional policies of the Roman Catholic Church, whether the Catholic Church is in touch with American Catholics today, policies on women becoming priests, marriage for Catholic priests, and how the Catholic Church has handled the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests. Additional topics included the Reverend Jeremiah Wright controversy, the state of the national economy, respondents' financial situation, gas prices, whether government assistance such as new tax breaks for businesses would avoid or soften a recession, and respondents' plans for a federal rebate. Demographics variables include sex, age, marital status, race, income, voter registration status, political ideology, political party affiliation, political philosophy, education level, religious preference, frequency of religious attendance, and whether respondents considered themselves to be a born-again Christian.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, August 1993 (ICPSR 6283)

Released/updated on: 1997-05-16

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of Bill Clinton's handling of his job as president and whether he was a strong and decisive leader. They were also asked to rate Clinton's handling of the nation's economy, foreign affairs, the federal budget deficit, and the federal response to the flooding in the Midwest. Those queried were also asked in detail about Clinton's economic plan -- specifically, whether they supported the increase in federal tax on gasoline and diesel fuel, the new federal tax rate on upper-income families, raising the tax on Social Security benefits, the increase in the federal business tax rate, and spending cuts in Medicare. Other topics included abortion, the situation in Serbia and Bosnia, and whether the respondent approved of United States airstrikes against Bosnian Serbs. The Roman Catholic Church was also a focus of this monthly survey, with specific questions on church policies and moral rules. Demographic background variables include political orientation, sex, age, race, income, and education.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, December 2002 (ICPSR 3769)

Released/updated on: 2003-10-09

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll, conducted December 12, 2002, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit opinions on the presidency and on other political and social issues. Respondents were asked their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the economy, Iraq and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, education reform, Social Security, prescription drug coverage, health insurance, the environment, Homeland security, taxes, and the war against terrorism. Respondents were also asked to give their views on President Bush's priorities for the country, the individuals who influenced his policymaking, and the amount of blame or credit that should be attributed to President Bush for the economy. Respondents' opinions were elicited on taking military action against Iraq, whether the reasons given by President Bush were sufficient to justify military action, whether Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, the level of threat Iraq posed to the United States, and whether the government was doing enough to battle terrorism and protect civil liberties. In addition, respondents were queried about the Catholic Church and its handling of recent abuse allegations brought against clergy, and the overall political and economic outlook for the country and the world in 2003. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, ethnicity, education, political orientation, religious orientation, level of religious participation, household income, and whether the respondent lived in an urban, suburban, or rural area.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, June 2002 (ICPSR 3558)

Released/updated on: 2005-12-15

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency, Bush's proposal to create the Department of Homeland Security, whether the Department of Homeland Security would improve the government's ability to prevent further terrorist attacks, and how much confidence they had in the ability of the government to prevent further terrorist attacks against Americans in the United States. Respondents also rated the job done by the FBI, the CIA, and other United States intelligence agencies in analyzing and sharing information about possible terrorist attacks before and after September 11, 2001, and commented on whether the agencies had enough information before the September 11th attacks to prevent the attacks or if the information was too vague and incomplete for the attacks to have been prevented. Further questions asked whether respondents supported giving FBI agents broader authority to monitor public places as part of a general investigation of terrorism even when it was not related to a specific crime, whether this change in FBI policy intruded on individuals' rights to privacy, whether it was more important for the FBI to investigate possible terrorist threats even if it intruded on personal privacy, and whether the FBI should not intrude on privacy, even if that meant compromising the FBI's ability to investigate possible terrorist threats. The next set of questions queried respondents on issues related to the Catholic Church, including whether respondents had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the Catholic Church, whether they approved of the way the Church was handling the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests, and what they felt was responsible for the way the Church had dealt with these issues both now and in the past. Additional questions probed the respondents' opinions as to whether abusive priests should be automatically removed from the priesthood, whether recent news coverage had been fair to the Church, and whether respondents knew of any cases of abuse in their own community and parish. A final set of questions dealt with the 30th anniversary of Watergate. Respondents were asked how much they knew about Watergate, whether President Richard Nixon's actions were serious enough to warrant his resignation, and whether President Gerald Ford was right in pardoning Nixon. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, political party, education, religion and religious activities, Hispanic origin, race, and household income.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, October 2003 (ICPSR 3942)

Released/updated on: 2004-03-18

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll is part of a series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency, foreign policy, the economy, the United States campaign against terrorism, prescription drug benefits for the elderly, and the situation in Iraq. Opinions were also solicited on the human costs of the war against Iraq, party preferences in the 2004 presidential election, whom they would vote for in the 2004 Democratic presidential primary, and whether they would vote for George W. Bush or the Democratic nominee for president if the 2004 presidential election were being held that day. A series of detailed questions addressed the health care system, health insurance coverage, use of health services, unmet health care needs, out-of-pocket expenses for health care, source of care, patient trust and satisfaction, health status, and presence of chronic health conditions. Respondents were also asked for their views on the investigation by the United States Justice Department into whether someone in the White House broke the law by identifying a former diplomat's wife as an undercover CIA agent. The final set of questions queried respondents on issues related to the Catholic Church, including whether respondents had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the Catholic Church, whether they agreed with the Roman Catholic Church policies that priests cannot get married and that women cannot become priests, whether they approved of the way the Catholic Church was handling the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests, whether they approved of the way Pope John Paul II handled his job as pope, how they would rate the job John Paul II had done, and whether they thought the next pope should maintain the traditional policies of the Church, or should change Church policies to reflect the current attitudes and lifestyles of Catholics. Background variables include education, marital status, whether the respondent had any children under age 18 living at home, employment status, ethnicity, household income, sex and whether the respondent was registered to vote.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Poll, September 1995 (ICPSR 6677)

Released/updated on: 2008-07-25

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll is part of a series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President Bill Clinton and his handling of the presidency, the economy, foreign affairs, and the situation in Bosnia, as well as their views on Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, retired General Colin Powell, Pope John Paul II, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson, former head of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Benjamin Chavis, and Ross Perot. Those queried were asked for their opinions on the 1996 presidential and congressional elections, the differences among the Republican, Democratic, and United We Stand parties, the possibility of a third-party victory, and the qualities of an effective president. Questions regarding the Roman Catholic Church addressed the role of the Pope and whether the church's positions on the following topics truly reflected the beliefs of its members: birth control, divorce, premarital sexual relations, homosexuals, priests and marriage, and female priests. Other topics covered the current state of Medicare, Republican plans to alter Medicare, and the Million Man March and the absence of women as participants in it. Background information includes age, sex, race, education, religion, political party, voter registration and participation history, family income, employment status, marital status, political orientation, Medicare coverage, and the demographics of the respondent's community.

Curated

ABC News/Washington Post Sex and Abortion Poll, May 1981 (ICPSR 8016)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16

Geographic coverage: United States

This special-topic poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of political and social issues. This data collection consists of respondents' attitudes toward abortion under certain circumstances. Respondents were asked about their religious beliefs and if they personally knew someone who had an abortion. They were also questioned about the death penalty, premarital sex, coed dormitories, marijuana, pornography, and the status of women under the Reagan administration. Additional variables probed respondents' perceptions of groups such as big corporations, the Moral Majority, the Catholic church, military leaders, Jewish people, the news media, and labor unions. Demographic information on the respondents was collected, including race, age, sex, income and educational levels, type of residence, number and ages of children, and religious affiliation.

Curated

CBS News/60 Minutes/Vanity Fair National Survey, March #3, 2011 (ICPSR 33489)

Released/updated on: 2012-06-01

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2011-03-01--2011-04-01

This poll, fielded March 31 to April 3, 2011, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on a range of political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling his job as president, whether they thought the country was headed in the right direction, whether they felt they paid their fair share in federal income taxes, and whether they had already filed their income taxes. Opinions were gathered on the Catholic religion, Pope Benedict XVI, whether the Catholic Church has become more liberal or conservative under Pope Benedict, whether the Catholic Church is in touch with the needs of Catholics today, whether medical care at Catholic hospitals is better than that at non-Catholic hospitals, and whether Catholic hospitals perform legal medical procedures that go against church teachings. Respondents were queried on whether they thought that someone who practices artificial birth control, gets divorced, or has an abortion could still be a good Catholic, whether they thought that global warming is an environmental problem that is causing a serious impact now, and how much progress they thought has been made toward solving environmental problems since the first Earth Day 40 years ago. Respondents were then asked a number of questions about pets; whether they owned one, whether they considered it to be a member of the family, whether their pet slept with them, and how much money they would spend on them if they were sick. Additional topics included abortion, the legal drinking age, nuclear power plants, the space shuttle, Reuters, religious service attendance, the Tea Party movement, and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, marital status, education level, household income, employment status, religious preference, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, and whether respondents thought of themselves as born again Christians.

Curated

CBS News Monthly Poll #1, April 2006 (ICPSR 4614)

Released/updated on: 2007-12-20

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll, conducted April 6-9, 2006, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions on the current direction of the country, the most important problem the country is facing, the national economy, and to rate the job performance of the United States Congress. Respondents were also asked about the way George W. Bush was handling certain issues, such as the economy, immigration, the war in Iraq, and terrorism, whether or not they approved of his overall job performance, and whether or not he and his policies would affect the way they would vote in Congressional elections. The next section of the survey addressed immigration, legal and illegal immigrants, amnesty, and a security fence between the United States and Mexico. The survey also contained questions about Pope Benedict XVI, the Catholic clergy, various religious groups, Creationism, the Bible, and the respondent's religious background, beliefs, and practices. Respondents were then asked for their opinions on the Republican and Democratic parties, and the war in and the future of Iraq. Additional questions solicited information on whether or not the respondents or someone they knew had served in Iraq, as well as the respondents' television news viewing habits. Background information on respondents includes military service, voter registration status, party identification, marital status, sex, religious preference, education record, age, ethnicity, and income.

Curated

CBS News Monthly Poll #1, September 2004 (ICPSR 4161)

Released/updated on: 2005-09-02

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of the 2004 presidential campaign and the candidates, including how strongly they supported a particular candidate and which issues they felt the candidates should address. Respondents were also asked for their opinions on the way George W. Bush was handling certain issues, such as the economy,the war in Iraq, and terrorism. The survey also asked questions about Pope John Paul II, his leadership, and the Catholic Church and its teachings. Background information on respondents includes voter registration status, party identification, voting record in the 2000 and 2002 elections, marital status, sex, religious preference, education record, political ideology, length of time living at current residence, age, ethnicity, and income.

Curated

CBS News Monthly Poll #2, April 2002 (ICPSR 3693)

Released/updated on: 2009-04-29

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency, foreign policy, the situation in the Middle East, and the campaign against terrorism, as well as their views of Secretary of State Colin Powell, Pope John Paul II, Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat, and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. A series of questions addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Respondents were asked whether they sympathized with Israel or the Palestinians, whether Israel should alter its military presence in the occupied territories, and whether the United States should publicly support either side. Respondents were questioned as to whether they believed Colin Powell's trip to the Middle East would be successful, whether the United States government has a responsibility to establish peace in the Middle East, and whether they believed involvement in the conflict would increase the likelihood of terrorist attacks against America. Those polled were questioned about the sexual abuse allegations against Catholic priests. Respondents were asked what they believed to be the greatest problem facing the Catholic Church, whether the child sex accusations harmed the reputation of the Catholic Church, whether celibacy increased the likelihood of child sex abuse, and whether they believed the Pope was aware of the abuse before the allegations were made public. Lastly, respondents were asked whether they believed surveillance cameras on city streets reduced crime or invaded people's privacy, and whether they approved of the placement of surveillance cameras on sites that are important to the country's history. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, race, religion, education, political party, political orientation, marital status, number of children in the household, and household income.

Curated

CBS News Monthly Poll, June 2002 (ICPSR 3698)

Released/updated on: 2009-04-29

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit opinions on the presidency and on other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions on the following: the effectiveness of President George W. Bush and his administration, the war in Afghanistan, terrorism and the effects of the attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States Department of Homeland Security, the scandals in the Catholic Church, possible military action in Iraq, and the 2000 United States presidential and 2002 House of Representatives elections. Questions addressed President Bush's handling of fighting in the Middle East, terrorism, foreign policy, and the economy, the goals of the Bush administration and its domestic policies, who was setting the administration's policies, and how respondents viewed United States Attorney General John Ashcroft. Other questions focused on the progress of the war in Afghanistan and the ramifications and likelihood of capturing or killing al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. Questions probed for respondents' opinions about the likelihood of another terrorist attack, the use of military tribunals as opposed to civilian courts to try terrorists, the government's actions to prevent terrorism, the likelihood of a nuclear attack being launched by another country as opposed to a terrorist organization, the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security, pre-emptive strikes against other countries, and the Central Intelligence Agency's involvement in weakening foreign governments. Respondents were also queried about the effectiveness of the Catholic Church and the Pope in handling sexual abuse allegations against priests and drafting policies on how to deal with future allegations. Background variables include age, sex, education, ethnicity, political orientation, marital status, the lack or presence of children in the household, ages of the children, and household income.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Hispanic Poll, July 2003 (ICPSR 3896)

Released/updated on: 2005-03-25

Geographic coverage: United States

This special topic poll, conducted July 13-27, 2003, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. The focus of this data collection was to assess the opinions and responses of people identified as being of Hispanic origin or ancestry. Respondents were asked to assess the performance of United States President George W. Bush, his administration's foreign policy, his efforts toward creating employment opportunities in the United States, and his efforts toward increasing trade and providing assistance to Mexico and Latin America. Respondents were queried on political issues such as whether they preferred federal budget cuts or federal tax cuts, whether the United States should establish diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba, whether removing Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein from power was worth the effort, and whether they approved of affirmative action measures and programs that address past discrimination. Respondents were polled for their opinions on a variety of social issues, including how Hispanics are portrayed on television news and entertainment programs, the importance of preserving cultural traditions and values, moral and economic differences between generations, working and single mothers, labor unions, the Catholic Church, the importance of a political candidate's ability to speak Spanish in choosing whether to vote for that candidate, and the likelihood of experiencing discrimination. Background variables include age, country of ancestral origin, country of birth, education, employment status, ethnicity, first language spoken, household income, labor union membership status, language(s) spoken in the home, marital status, party affiliation, political ideology, religious orientation, residential status, sex, and voter registration status.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #1, May 2002 (ICPSR 3695)

Released/updated on: 2009-04-29

Geographic coverage: United States

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #2, April 2010 (ICPSR 31570)

Released/updated on: 2011-09-09

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2010-04-01--2010-05-01

This poll, fielded April 28 to May 2, 2010, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,125 adults were surveyed, including an oversample 412 Catholic individuals. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling his job as president, foreign policy, the economy, and health care. Opinions were sought on Israel, the leadership of the Catholic Church, and Pope Benedict XVI. Respondents were asked whether they thought the Vatican or most parish priests in the United States were in touch with the needs of Catholics, whether they were opposed to letting Catholic priests get married or letting women be ordained as Catholic priests, how important it was to them that their children practice the religion in which they were raised, how comfortable they would be if their child was alone with their parish priests, how closely they had been following the news about the reports of past sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests, whether they thought the Vatican and the Pope did a good job handling the reports of sexual abuse, and whether they thought the problem of sexual abuse was a more common problem in the Catholic Church than other faiths. Opinions were collected on United States bishops and whether respondents thought the bishops were doing a better job than they previously did in dealing with the priests who sexually abused children, whether the bishops tried to prevent sexual abuse in the past or cover it up, whether the bishops have enforced the policy of performing extensive background checks and psychological testing on persons wanting to become a priest in the United States, and whether this screening policy is going too far. Respondents were also asked if they thought the policy of having a priest permanently removed from the ministry and barred from performing priestly duties was fair in cases of priests who had sexually abused children. Respondents were also asked whether celibacy or homosexuality among priests in the Catholic church were major factors contributing to child sexual abuse by priests, whether reports of sexual abuse led respondents to question the authority of the Vatican, whether reports of sexual abuse have made respondents uncomfortable around their own parish priests, whether the respondent or anyone in their household had given money to a Catholic parish or organization in the previous 12 months, and if so, whether they had increased giving since the reports of abuse became public. Information was collected on whether the reports of sexual abuse affected the respondent's or their children's involvement in Catholic Church activities, their Mass attendance, or their feelings about remaining in the Catholic faith, whether they thought the media accurately reported the stories of child sexual abuse by priests, how much respondents had heard about the Vatican conducting a study on the quality of life of nuns, and whether respondents supported it. Other topics covered the national economy, job security, legal and illegal immigration in the United States, the new law in Arizona allowing police officers to question those they suspect are living in the country illegally. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, education level, household income, religious preference, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, and voter registration status.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #2, September 1995 (ICPSR 2080)

Released/updated on: 2010-05-07

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on a range of political and social issues. Respondents were asked to identify world religious leaders and to give their views on Pope John Paul the Second as a political and religious leader and the Roman Catholic Church. Those queried were asked detailed questions on the role of the Catholic Church, with specific items on abortion, women in the priesthood, belief in Jesus Christ, and the possible return of Jesus Christ in their lifetime. Background information on respondents includes voter registration status, political party, political orientation, education, age, sex, race, and family income.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #3, April 2002 (ICPSR 3694)

Released/updated on: 2009-04-29

Geographic coverage: United States

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll, April 1994 (ICPSR 6595)

Released/updated on: 2000-08-28

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked about the economy and about the responsibility of the United States in the international arena in general and in Bosnia in particular. Opinions were also solicited on Hillary Clinton and her role as First Lady, the Whitewater real estate deal, and the importance of the news media in forming public opinion. The topic of religion was covered in detail, with particular attention to respondents who identified themselves as Catholic. Catholic respondents were asked whether they had said the rosary, gone to confession, attended a meeting of a Catholic organization, or prayed in private during the preceding 30 days. Further questions concerned whether the Catholic Church was in touch with the needs of Catholics, and if the respondent was in favor of letting Catholic priests get married, allowing women to be ordained as Catholic priests, and having girls assist in altar duties. Other topics covered whether people can be considered "good Catholics" if they get divorced and remarry, practice artificial birth control, or engage in homosexual relations. Additional questions asked Catholic respondents whether they thought that the Church's teaching on premarital sex, the shortage of priests and nuns, and reports of priests sexually abusing children would hurt the Church. Background information on respondents includes voter registration status, household composition, vote choice in the 1992 presidential election, political party, political orientation, education, age, sex, race, religious preference, and family income.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll, April 2005 (ICPSR 2828)

Released/updated on: 2006-12-19

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll, conducted April 13-16, 2005, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency and issues such as the economy and the campaign against terrorism. Respondents were asked how well the United States Congress and their own representatives were doing their jobs, and gave their opinions of the Republican and Democratic parties, House Majority Leader Tom Delay, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, and the late Pope John Paul II. Respondents voiced their concerns about the most important problem facing the country, whether the United States did the right thing by taking military action against Iraq, and how well the United States was doing to restore stability in Iraq. A set of questions addressed the recent death of Pope John Paul II, the Catholic church and priesthood, the church's handling of the sexual abuse of children by priests, and the position the next Pope should take on issues such as birth control and the ordainment of women. Additional topics focused on abortion, Social Security, the Patriot Act, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the use of stun guns, gasoline prices, and laws regarding life and death. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, religious affiliation, frequency of religious service attendance, political party affiliation, political philosophy, education level, marital status, household income, voter registration and participation history, gun ownership, and whether there were children in the household.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times National and Local Surveys, 1985 (ICPSR 8550)

Released/updated on: 2006-01-12

Geographic coverage: United States

The substantive common denominator in the surveys is a continuing evaluation of the Reagan presidency. Each survey also contains questions of topical relevance or questions about broader social issues. Respondents were queried about their attitudes towards the arms race and "Star Wars", Ronald Reagan and his domestic and foreign policies, tax reform, the federal deficit, the Vietnam War, Reagan's visit to the military cemetery in Bitburg, Central America, trade policies, the United Nations, AIDS, the Soviet Union, and religion and the Catholic church. One survey contains questions concerning race relations and public figures in New York City. Only New York City residents were interviewed for this particular survey. All surveys contain demographic information on respondents.

Curated

Simple Crosstabs

CBS News/New York Times National Catholic Poll February #2, 2013 (ICPSR 34994)

Released/updated on: 2014-03-25

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll, the last of two fielded February 2013, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on a range of political and social issues. Respondents were asked for their opinions on the Catholic Church, as well as a variety of questions regarding the pope, and the selection of the new pope. More specifically, respondents were asked whether the Catholic Church is "in touch", for their opinions on women becoming priests, priests getting married, and birth control, abortion, and sex abuse in the Church. Respondents were also asked about religious freedom in the United States, health care policies in relation to religious freedom, the Vatican's investigation of nuns in the United States, their personal monetary contributions to the Church, and church attendance. Additional topics included illegal immigration, the death penalty, and same-sex marriage. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, marital status, education, household income, type of residential area (e.g. urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, religious preferences, and whether respondents thought of themselves as born again Christians.

Curated

CBS News/New York Times New York City Poll, June 2002 (ICPSR 3697)

Released/updated on: 2009-04-29

Geographic coverage: New York City, United States, New York (state)

This special topic poll, conducted June 4-8, was undertaken to assess respondents' opinions of Michael Bloomberg and his performance as mayor of New York City, the recovery efforts following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, and the long-range view for New York City. Respondents were asked to comment on the following: Mayor Michael Bloomberg's performance and priorities compared to those of former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, the effectiveness of Cardinal Edward Michael Egan and Bishop Thomas Daily in light of sex abuse scandals in the Catholic Church, the health of the New York City economy, and everyday life in New York City including public schools and transportation. Additional questions addressed the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and how they impacted respondents' sleep cycles and levels of anxiety, as well as transportation security, law enforcement tactics, and the economy. Respondents gave their opinions on the likelihood of another terrorist attack, the effectiveness and likelihood of federal aid, and proposed plans for the World Trade Center site. Background variables include age, ethnicity, education, household income, sex, voter registration status, participation in religion, marital status, 2001 mayoral election participation, political orientation, the lack or presence of children, the type of school children in the household attend, and the number of phone lines in the home.

Curated

CBS News/Vanity Fair Monthly Poll, March 2010 (ICPSR 31568)

Released/updated on: 2011-09-20

Geographic coverage: United States

Time period: 2010-03-01--2010-04-01

This poll, fielded March 29th through April 2nd, 2010, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way that Barack Obama was handling his job as president, the economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, health care, and the threat of terrorism. Information was collected on whether respondents approved of the way Congress was handling its job, how they rated the condition of the national economy, whether they approved of and understood the new health care reform bill, whether they thought that the health care reform bill would personally effect them, whether health care reform would improve the quality of health care, whether it would increase the federal budget deficit, and whether they thought that the new health insurance reforms would increase consumer protection against health insurance companies. Respondents were also asked whether they thought that members of Congress and Americans today had more civility in debating the issues than they did ten years ago, whether they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the Tea Party movement, Sarah Palin, and Pope Benedict. Respondents were queried on whether they thought that the Pope and the Vatican did a good job or poor job in handling the charges of sexual abuse of children by priests, whether they thought that international terrorism or domestic terrorism was a more serious threat to Americans, whether they were going to participate in the 2010 Census, whether they felt they paid their fair share of taxes, and whether they filed their 2009 income taxes. Respondents were asked whether they thought the condition of the environment for the next generation would be better, worse, or about the same as it was, how much they have heard about the iPad, whether they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Steve Jobs, whether they thought that marijuana should be legal, whether they would go into space if offered a free trip, and which news source they considered to be the most trustworthy. Finally, respondents were asked how concerned they were that they or someone in their household might be out of work in the next 12 months, whether they were a supporter of the Tea Party movement, whether they had some form of health insurance, and how often they attended religious services. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, marital status, education level, household income, religious preference, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, and voter registration status.

Curated

CBS News/Vanity Fair Monthly Poll, May 2010 (ICPSR 31572)

Released/updated on: 2011-08-11

Geographic coverage: United States

This poll, fielded May 6-9, 2010, is a part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they thought the country was going in the right direction, whether they were in favor of allowing increased drilling for oil and natural gas off the coast of the United States, whether they were familiar with the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and whether they thought the oil spill was an isolated incident or an indication of a broader problem. Respondents were asked how much vacation time they planned to take in the summer, whether this amount of vacation time was more than the amount taken last year, how many days they planned to spend at the beach, and which summertime activity they found most relaxing. They were also queried on whether they thought electronic reading devices would replace books, whether they used a personal computer at home, at work, or at some other location, whether a personal computer is something they could live without, whether they owned a smartphone, whether they felt anxious or out of touch when they didn't have their smartphone with them, and whether electronic devices such as personal computers, cellphones, and smartphones have made life better or worse. Many other questions were asked of the respondent concerning electronic devices, including whether electronic devices such as personal computers, cellphones, and smartphones have made it easier to work, whether they have increased or decreased the amount of stress in their life, whether these devices made it easier for the respondent to focus, whether these devices expanded the number of people they communicated with, how often someone uses a mobile device during family dinners, how often someone uses a mobile device at friend's dinners, and how often someone uses a mobile device when at a co-worker's dinner. They were also asked what advice they would give themselves if they could travel back in time, what item they thought was most overpriced currently, what fictional movie character they would choose to be for a day, and whether Native American mascots should be retired in sports. Respondent were queried whether they thought the C.I.A. is justified to resort to assassination, whether the United States should adopt Ireland's artistic tax exemption policy, and whether the United States government should legalize and regulate the sale of human organs for transplants. They were also asked whether they thought being gay or lesbian was a choice, whether same-sex relations between consenting adults is wrong, whether it is necessary to have laws to protect gays and lesbians from discrimination in housing and employment, and whether they personally know someone who is gay or lesbian. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, education level, household income, military service, religious preference, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, number of people aged 18 to 29 living in the household, and whether respondents thought of themselves as born again Christians.

Curated

Center for Research on Social Reality [Spain] Survey, December 1990: Religious Beliefs and Practices (ICPSR 6978)

Released/updated on: 1997-12-19

Geographic coverage: Europe, Global, Spain

Time period: 1990-11-26--1990-12-01

This data collection is part of a series of nationwide surveys conducted from October 1990 to June 1996 in Spain. The questionnaires for each of these surveys consisted of three sections. The first section collected information on respondents' attitudes regarding personal, national, and international issues, and included questions on respondents' level of life satisfaction and frequency of visits with relatives, neighbors, and friends. The second section contained a topical module of questions that varied from survey to survey, with this survey's topic focusing on religious beliefs and practices. Among the issues investigated were moral attitudes, religious background, religious practices, attitudes toward religious sacraments, and attitudes toward the Catholic church. Questions in the third section of the questionnaire elicited socioeconomic information, such as respondent's sex, age, marital status, size of household, occupation, education, religion, religiosity, place of birth, and income.

Curated

Center for Research on Social Reality [Spain] Survey, November 1991: Religiosity and Social Ethics (ICPSR 9898)

Released/updated on: 1993-02-12

Geographic coverage: Europe, Global, Spain

This data collection is part of a continuing series of semi-monthly surveys of individuals in Spain. Each survey consists of three sections. The first section collects information on respondents' attitudes regarding personal and national issues. This section includes questions on level of life satisfaction and frequency of relationships, as well as a rating of the importance of national issues. The second section varies according to the monthly topic, with this survey's topics focusing on religiosity and social ethics. Among the issues investigated are the concern about the opinion of others in personal decision-making, salient values of Spanish society, religious atmosphere in the family during respondent's childhood, religious practice during childhood, frequency of charitable donations, attitudes toward religious tax, marriage, and the Catholic Church, frequency of discussion about religious issues, and belief in occult sciences, astrology, and numerology. The third section collects demographic data such as sex, age, religion, income, and place of residence.

Curated

Personality Disorganization Among Refugees of Violence in Colombia, South America, 1962 (ICPSR 7055)

Released/updated on: 2011-06-23

Geographic coverage: South America, Colombia, Bogoto, Global

This study was conducted in Bogota, Colombia, in 1962. The respondents' backgrounds were described through variables ascertaining birthplace, number of years of residence in Bogota, and occupation in their land of origin. The major portion of the study explored attitudes toward political violence: its effects on people's confidence in the government, the position of the church, groups who had benefited from political violence, and the extent to which violence had spread into areas of life other than politics. Derived measures include national identification and security scales and a scale showing attitudes toward the church. Demographic variables provide information about the respondents' age, education, marital status, and number of children.

Curated

WABC/New York Daily News Cardinal O'Connor Poll, April 1990 (ICPSR 9457)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-17

Geographic coverage: New York City, United States, New York (state)

Time period: 1990-04-16--1990-04-18

This survey focuses on issues related to Cardinal O'Connor, head of the New York Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church. Respondents were asked if they approved of the way Mario Cuomo, David Dinkins, and O'Connor were handling their jobs, if they liked O'Connor personally and approved of his policies, if they thought their church or religious group should be more active in working for social justice and helping the poor, and if they thought various actions were morally wrong. In addition, respondents were asked how much they were guided in their own lives by Cardinal O'Connor's public statements on issues such as abortion, birth control, homosexuality, and AIDs, if they thought his views tended to be too liberal, and if they thought O'Connor should stay out of politics entirely. Catholic respondents also were asked if O'Connor's statements and actions made them proud to be Catholics, if O'Connor or their local parish clergy or Mario Cuomo represented their views better, and if they favored an American Catholic Church independent from Rome. Background information on respondents includes religion, political alignment, education, age, race, income, and sex.

Curated

Washington Post Catholic Church Poll, June 2002 (ICPSR 3560)

Released/updated on: 2005-07-06

Geographic coverage: United States

This special topic poll, conducted June 16-17, 2002, was designed to ascertain the feelings and opinions of respondents about the Catholic Church and the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests. Respondents were asked whether they were satisfied with the leadership of the Catholic Church, whether they approved of the way the Catholic Church handled the sexual abuse of children by priests, and whether they approved of the policy, endorsed by the United States Catholic bishops, that does not require priests who have sexually abused children to be automatically removed from the priesthood. Further questions asked respondents whether bishops who did not report allegations of sexual abuse by priests to public authorities should resign from their positions, and if they refused to resign, whether church authorities should remove them from their positions, whether church officials in the past and present were trying to prevent sexual abuse or trying to cover up the problem, and whether the Catholic Church could be trusted to handle this issue properly in the future. In addition, respondents were queried about whether they approved of the way President George W. Bush was handling his job. Background information includes age, education, ethnicity, religious affiliation, specifically whether the respondent was Catholic, and sex.