Showing 1 – 36 of 36 results.
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Long-Term Effects of Law Enforcement's Post-9/11 Focus on Counterterrorism and Homeland Security, 2007-2010, United States (ICPSR 29461)
Released/updated on: 2024-04-25
Geographic coverage: United States, Texas, Massachusetts, Los Angeles, California, Florida, Las Vegas, Boston, Nevada, Miami, Houston
Time period: 2007-01-01--2010-12-31
This study examines the state of counterterrorism and homeland security in five large urban law enforcement agencies (the Boston Police Department, the Houston Police Department, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and the Miami-Dade Police Department) nine years following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. It explores the long-term adjustments that these agencies made to accommodate this new role.
Researchers from the RAND Corporation, in consultation with National Institute of Justice project staff, selected law enforcement agencies of major urban areas with a high risk of terrorist attacks from different regions of the United States that have varied experiences with counterterrorism and homeland security issues. The research team conducted on-site, in-depth interviews with personnel involved in developing or implementing counterterrorism or homeland security functions within their respective agency. The research team used a standardized interview protocol to address such issues as security operations, regional role, organizational structures, challenges associated with the focus on counterterrorism and homeland security issues, information sharing, training, equipment, and grant funding.
Curated
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Longevity of American Terrorists: Factors Affecting Sustainability, [United States], 1980-2015 (ICPSR 37175)
Released/updated on: 2019-08-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1980-01-01--2015-12-31
These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator if further information is needed.
This study examined the longevity of individual terrorists using data from the American Terrorism Study (ATS).
Using these data, researchers examined the longevity of individual terrorists in relationship to five major factors: 1) the possible effects of changes in the Attorney General's Guidelines for terrorism investigations; 2) the impact of ideology, which may indirectly affect longevity through perpetrator and incident characteristics; 3) lone actors versus group participation; 4) the extent of participation in preparatory activity; and 5) the sophistication of the incidents in which the person participated.
Previous ATS research funded through National Institute of Justice (NIJ) by focusing on individual terrorists, instead of terrorist groups.
The collection includes 1 SPSS data file: ICPSR_Data_File_Edit.sav (n=346; 15 variables).
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Restricted
The Challenge and Promise of Using Community Policing Strategies to Prevent Violent Extremism, United States, 2014 (ICPSR 36460)
Released/updated on: 2018-03-07
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2014-01-01--2014-12-31
These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.
The study contains data from a survey of 480 large (200+ sworn officers) state and local law enforcement agencies, and 63 additional smaller county and municipal agencies that experienced violent extremism. These data were collected as part of a project to perform a comprehensive assessment of challenges and opportunities when developing partnerships between police and communities to counter violent extremism. Qualitative data collected as a part of this project are not included in this release.
This collection includes one tab-delimited data file: "file6-NIJ-2012-3163-Survey-Responses.csv" with 194 variables and 382 cases.
Curated
CBS News Monthly Poll #1, September 2001 (ICPSR 3351)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-09-11--2001-09-13
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, as well as their views on the September 11 terrorist attacks targeting the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, DC. Respondents were asked to express their opinions on President Bush's handling of the attacks, their personal feelings about the attacks, their confidence in the United States government's ability to catch the people who planned the attacks, and whether the United States should take military action. In addition, respondents were asked questions regarding whether the United States was in or near a recession. Questions were also posed regarding air travel in the United States and whether respondents might, in the wake of the terrorist attacks, surrender certain personal freedoms, such as having the government monitor the telephone calls and e-mail of ordinary Americans. Questions were also asked regarding immigration and the treatment of Arab Americans. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, political party affiliation, military service, marital status, education, race, and income.
Curated
CBS News Monthly Poll #1, October 2001 (ICPSR 3376)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-10-01--2001-10-31
This poll, conducted on October 8, 2001, 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, the national economy, and the attacks of September 11th on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, as well as their views and feelings on the military attacks by the United States against targets in Afghanistan. Respondents also expressed their confidence in the ability of the United States government to capture Osama Bin Laden, to maintain the international alliance of the countries supporting United States military efforts, to achieve its military goals without significant civilian casualties among the Afghan people and without significant United States military casualties, and to protect its citizens from future terrorist attacks. Those queried also presented their views on the likelihood of another terrorist attack in the United States within the next few months, the expected length of time a war against countries that harbor terrorists would last, and any feelings they might have toward Arab people due to the attacks. Additional questions polled respondents on whether the United States was in an economic recession or was near an economic recession, whether there were any unemployed adults in their household, and their concerns about future unemployment in the household. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, race, political affiliation, religion, current and past military service, and marital status.
Curated
CBS News Monthly Poll, November 2001 (ICPSR 3377)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-11-01--2001-11-30
This poll is part of a continuing series of surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. The survey examined respondents' views about the war against terrorism and anthrax attacks, as well as respondents' feelings about flying. Those polled gave their opinions on the United States military campaign in Afghanistan, President George W. Bush's war against terrorism, and whether they thought life would be the same, better, or worse for the people of Afghanistan with the Northern Alliance in control of the capital. Respondents also expressed their views on the United States government's ability to capture Osama Bin Laden, to protect American citizens from future terrorist attacks, and to catch people who had been sending anthrax through the mail. The survey also queried respondents on eventual biological attacks and the differences between the way anthrax findings were handled in the Capitol building and in post offices. Other questions concentrated on respondents' feelings about flying and airport security. Respondents were asked whether they had traveled since September 11, whether they had cancelled any trips because of the terrorist attacks, whether they had plans to travel during Thanksgiving and Christmas, who should be responsible for airport security personnel, and the reason for the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 in New York City on November 12, 2001. Other questions examined respondents' opinions on the work of the United Nations, the national economy, and United States relations with Russia. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, education, race, religion, Hispanic descent, political party affiliation, political orientation, marital status, number of children in the household, and household income.
Curated
CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #2, October 2001 (ICPSR 3378)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-10-01--2001-10-31
This poll, conducted October 25-28, 2001, 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 economy, the war on terrorism, the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and the anthrax outbreaks, as well as their views on Congress and its handling of the anthrax outbreaks. Respondents were asked for their opinions on the direction the nation was headed, the state of the economy, the size of the federal government, whether the government wasted money, and whether they felt they could trust the federal government. A series of questions addressed the ongoing war on terrorism. Topics covered the goal of the war, whether the Bush administration had adequately explained the United States mission, and what the main goal should be, as well as whether respondents approved of the military attacks on Afghanistan. Those queried were asked whether they were confident that the United States government could capture/kill Osama bin Laden while maintaining the international alliance currently supporting their military efforts, how long they expected the attacks to last, whether this war was worth losing several thousand American troops, whether the United States should provide food and humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan, whether the military action would become more widespread, and whether those who opposed the operation should be permitted to hold protest marches and rallies. Respondent views were also sought on the political situation in the Middle East. Opinions were elicited on Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the reasons for the United States' problems in the region, whether respondents supported the establishment of a Palestinian homeland, whether their sympathies lay with Israel or the Arab nations, whether the United States had explained the war on terrorism to the Arab world, and whether Saudi Arabia was considered an ally of the United States. Regarding the anthrax attacks, respondents were asked how closely they had followed the news about the anthrax outbreaks, whether the government would be able to catch the people responsible, whether the government was sharing the right amount of information with the public, whether public health officials were right to discourage doctors from prescribing the drug Cipro unnecessarily, whether respondents were concerned about a biological/chemical attack where they lived, and whether they were confident in the government's ability to protect its citizens from such attacks. Respondents also described their reactions to the recent terrorist attacks, including whether they had experienced nervousness and/or sleeplessness, lost a substantial portion of their income and/or their job, canceled any scheduled trips, and whether they were now spending more time with family and friends. Additional questions addressed the topic of airline safety. Survey items focused on whether the federal government and the airline industry had done enough to improve airline safety and exactly who should be responsible for airport security personnel. In addition, respondents indicated whether they were rooting for the New York Yankees or the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the World Series. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, marital status, political party, religion, employment status, children in household, education, race, Hispanic descent, and household income.
Curated
CBS News Monthly Poll #1, January 2002 (ICPSR 3458)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-01-01--2002-01-31
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, his handling of the presidency, the campaign against terrorism, and the economy. The remainder of the questions focused on events related to the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and the ensuing war in Afghanistan. Respondents were queried on how they felt about military attacks on Afghanistan, whether they approved of the actions, whether the war was going well, what effect it would have on terrorism, and the likelihood that it would develop into a larger war. Osama bin Laden, the terrorist ringleader in Afghanistan, was the next topic, as respondents were asked whether they felt that his capture would mean a United States victory in Afghanistan, and whether they felt he was currently alive or dead. Respondents' views were sought on the likelihood of another terrorist attack in the United States, the ability of the United States to protect its citizens from future attacks, and the recent anthrax attacks. Respondents were then asked whether and how September 11 had affected their lives, and how they believed it would affect the future, especially in regard to civil liberties. Opinions were also solicited on the state of airline security, respondents' recent flight experiences, and a recent incident involving an Arab-American Secret Service agent who was kept off a flight for security reasons. Background information includes age, gender, race, religion, education, political party, political orientation, marital status, number of children in the household, and income.
Curated
CBS News Monthly Poll #2, January 2002 (ICPSR 3459)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-01-01--2002-01-31
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 if they approved of President George W. Bush's handling of the campaign against terrorism, foreign policy, and the economy. Those queried were also asked for their views on the current condition of the economy, whether it was getting better or worse, and whether they were optimistic or pessimistic about the next three years with Bush as president. Respondents were asked to indicate what they liked best and least about what he had done so far. Respondents were asked whether they approved of Dick Cheney's handling of his role as Vice President and how he compared with previous vice presidents. Next, respondents were queried on their opinions of the war in Afghanistan and how it was going for the United States. Respondents' views on a number of issues related to Social Security and their retirement were elicited as well. The collapse of the Texas-based energy company, Enron, was the focus of the next set of questions. Respondents were asked how much they had heard regarding Enron, and whether they felt Enron chairperson Kenneth Lay, other Enron executives, or anyone in the Bush administration had done anything wrong with respect to the company's collapse. Respondents were asked whether they felt policy decisions had ever been changed by politicians as a direct result of campaign contributions from major contributors, and whether they felt the oil and energy industries had too much or too little influence on the Bush administration. Also regarding Enron, respondents were asked whether senior executives should have been able to sell their stock in the company prior to its collapse, and whether the federal government should have intervened to prevent the collapse. Next, respondents were queried on how they felt regarding their civil liberties: whether they were concerned about losing some liberties as a result of the Bush administration's campaign against terrorism, and whether they would be willing to give up certain liberties in order to reduce the threat of terrorism. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, race, religion, education, political party, political orientation, marital status, number of children in the household, and income.
Curated
CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #3, January 2002 (ICPSR 3460)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-01-01--2002-01-31
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, the campaign against terror, foreign policy, the economy, and the general direction of the country, as well as their views of Vice President Dick Cheney, Congress, and Senate majority leader Tom Daschle. Respondents were asked for their opinions of the most important issue facing the country, the condition of the economy and whether it was changing, how much they trusted the government, what size government was ideal, whether Bush would compromise with Democrats in Congress to get things done, whether Democrats would compromise with Bush, whether either of them should compromise, and which one would more likely balance the budget. Respondents' opinions were probed regarding the Republican party, the Democratic party, and which was more likely to ensure prosperity, improve education, properly handle Social Security, ensure a strong military, ensure fair taxes, improve the health care system, protect the environment, balance the federal budget, deal with terrorism, and properly spend taxpayer money. Respondents were then asked about changes needed to the health care system, the importance of reducing prescription drug costs for the elderly, the importance of protecting the environment, how much Bush really controlled his administration, how respondents viewed his political philosophy and leadership qualities, their confidence in his abilities to make good decisions about the economy, how much he cared about people like them, which social class was favored by his administration, and how much big business influenced the Bush administration and Congress. Opinions were elicited about the state of the federal budget, how the recent tax cuts affected the economy, how fair the tax cuts were, whether the tax cuts were the best use of the surplus, whether tax cuts were worth the risk of a budget deficit, why a deficit was projected, whether a deficit was a good or bad thing, whether the war on terrorism was hurting domestic programs, whether tax cuts were hurting domestic programs, whether a candidate that advocated a balanced budget or tax cuts was preferred, and the bankruptcy of the energy trading Enron Corporation. Respondents were queried about who they thought had more seats in the House of Representatives, whether it mattered which political party controlled Congress, whether it was right to attack Afghanistan and countries hiding terrorists, how confident respondents were in the United States government's ability to capture terrorist Osama Bin Laden, the status of the war in Afghanistan, and the likelihood of another terrorist attack in the United States. Additional topics covered the state of respondents' personal finances, whether they would watch the January 29, 2002, State of the Union Address, and their voting intentions in the 2002 congressional elections. Background information on respondents includes gender, marital status, political party, political orientation, voter registration and participation history, children in household, religion, education, age, race, Hispanic origin, and household income.
Curated
CBS News/New York Times Call-Back Poll, January 2002 (ICPSR 3461)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-01-01--2002-01-31
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 other political and social issues. This survey is a call-back of the January 21-24, 2002, cohort from CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES MONTHLY POLL #3, JANUARY 2002 (ICPSR 3460), and was conducted to assess respondent views following President George W. Bush's State of the Union address delivered earlier that evening. Respondents were asked whether they listened to the president's speech and were then asked a series of questions about the speech. Topics covered whether they approved of the proposals, whether the president would be able to accomplish his goals, whether the war on terrorism or the economy was a more important issue, whether the government would be able to afford all of Bush's proposals, whether the proposed tax cuts would be good for the economy, what issues the president had failed to mention, and whether he should have further addressed the Enron crisis. Additional topics included whether the president and Congressional Democrats would be able to work together in the coming year and whether another terrorist attack was likely in the next few months. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, marital status, political party, political orientation, children in household, religion, education, race, Hispanic origin, and household income.
Curated
CBS News Monthly Poll #2, April 2002 (ICPSR 3693)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-04-01--2002-04-30
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/New York Times Monthly Poll #2, May 2002 (ICPSR 3696)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-05-01--2002-05-31
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, the campaign against terrorism, foreign policy, and international crises. They also expressed their opinions on the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency and answered a series of questions on the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Respondents were asked whether information the intelligence agencies might have held before September 11, 2001, could have prevented the terrorist attacks, how much influence and responsibility the President had with regard to terrorism, and Congress's hearings investigating the Bush administration's prior knowledge of the attacks. Those queried also presented their views on what the White House knew prior to September 11, 2001, about possible terrorist attacks and government-issued warnings. Background information includes respondents' political affiliation, marital status, income, religion, education, age, race, and gender.
Curated
CBS News Monthly Poll, June 2002 (ICPSR 3698)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-06-01--2002-06-30
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 Monthly Poll #1, July 2002 (ICPSR 3699)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-07-01--2002-07-31
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, the campaign against terrorism, and foreign policy, as well as their views on the United States economy and the situation between Israel and the Palestinians. They also expressed their opinions on federal regulation of business, their confidence in big business and business in general, whether big business had influence on the Bush administration, reports about corporate accounting scandals, and the honesty of American corporate executives and members of the Bush administration. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of the establishment of a Palestinian homeland in the West Bank and Gaza, and current and future relations between the United States and Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat. The poll elicited respondents' views on airport security changes since September 11, 2001, the El Al shooting at Los Angeles international airport, and the military action against Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein from power. Respondents answered questions regarding tax-funded school vouchers for tuition for private or religious schools, the stock market and their personal investments, insider trading, the war in Afghanistan, the ability of the United States government to protect against future terrorist attacks, and identifying the people who had sent anthrax through the U.S. mail. Background information includes respondents' political affiliation, marital status, religion, education, income, race, and gender.
Curated
CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #1, September 2002 (ICPSR 3704)
Released/updated on: 2009-04-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-09-01--2002-09-30
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 economy, and the campaign against terrorism. Views were elicited on the trustworthiness of the government and why respondents felt that way, whether the Bush administration had a clear plan for handling terrorism, whether the United States should attack another country (including Iraq) before it was attacked, whether the United States should attack another country (including Iraq) if the United States believed that it posed a nuclear threat, level of confidence in the United States government to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, the likelihood of another terrorist attack in the next few months, and personal concern about local acts of terrorism. Respondents were also asked about their level of confidence in the ability of the United States to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, whether the United States could claim victory over terrorism if bin Laden was not captured or killed, and whether they believed bin Laden was still alive. Additional questions sought respondents' views on how well the war on terrorism was going, and how much progress the Bush administration had made in closing terrorist training camps in Afghanistan, in eliminating threats from terrorists from other countries, placing a stable government in Afghanistan, improving the image of the United States in the Arab world, developing a comprehensive plan for protecting the United States from terrorism, and improving air travel safety. Respondents were asked how concerned they were with losing civil liberties and if they agreed or disagreed that Americans would always have to live with terrorism. Regarding the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, respondents were asked how much they blamed the CIA, the FBI, United States policies in the Middle East, and security at United States airports. Respondents were asked how safe Americans felt from terrorist attacks, how safe they felt personally, how often they thought about and talked about September 11, whether the United States has done all it could to make the country safe, and whether the United States was prepared for biological and chemical attacks. With regard to Iraq, respondents were asked whether the Bush administration had clearly explained the possible attack on Iraq, whether they approved or disapproved of the United States taking military action, whether the United States should attack soon or give the United Nations more time, whether President Bush should receive Congressional approval before taking military action, whether they thought military action would take place, whether the removal of Saddam Hussein from power was worth the potential loss of American lives, whether military action should take place if it meant substantial military casualties or Iraqi civilian casualties, and whether respondents would favor military action if the war lasted for several months or years. Respondents were queried as to whether they believed that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, and that Iraq was planning to use these weapons against the United States. In regard to the September 11 terrorist attacks, respondents were asked how afraid they were of flying, whether they had flown on a commercial airline since the attacks, how likely it was that Arab Americans, Muslims, and Middle Eastern immigrants would be singled out unfairly, whether Arab Americans were more sympathetic to terrorists than other Americans, whether respondents had a good or bad image of New York City, whether they had ever visited the World Trade Center, whether they attended religious services after the attacks and whetherthey continued to do so, how likely they were to watch the news since the attacks, how much time they spent with family, and how their lives and the country had changed as a result of the terrorist attacks. In addition, respondents were asked whether they had trouble sleeping, whether they felt nervous or edgy after the attacks, whether their children expressed concern over their safety and their family's safety, how often the respondents talked to their children about September 11, whether they knew someone who was hurt in the September 11 attacks, whether they knew an Arab American, and whether an immediate family member was currently serving in United States armed forces. Finally, respondents were asked about their political party preference, whether they had financial investments, whether they had voted in the 2000 presidential election and for whom, their political views, marital status, religious preference, education, age, Hispanic descent, ethnicity, income, and whether there were additional phone lines in the home.
External data
Terrorism and Preparedness Data Resource Center (ICPSR 192)
Released/updated on: 2008-05-15
Geographic coverage: Global
The Terrorism and Preparedness Data Resource Center (TPDRC) is housed at the University of Michigan's Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). TPDRC archives and distributes data collected by government agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and researchers about:
The nature of intra- (domestic) and international terrorism incidents, organizations, perpetrators, and victims
Governmental and nongovernmental responses to terror, including primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions
Citizen's attitudes towards terrorism, terror incidents, and the response to terrorism
It also organizes and streamlines access to extant research and administrative data from across the world that are relevant to the study of terrorism and the response to terrorism for descriptive and scientific analysis by academics and researchers.
The TPDRC also includes the Terrorism and Preparedness Survey Archive (TaPSA). As part of TPDRC, TaPSA archives national and international survey data and related research materials about terrorism, homeland security, and preparedness.
Curated
Transatlantic Trends Survey, 2006 (ICPSR 20302)
Released/updated on: 2008-01-07
Geographic coverage: Romania, United States, Europe, United Kingdom, Portugal, Global, Spain, Netherlands, Turkey, Poland, Italy, Slovakia, France, Bulgaria, Germany
Time period: 2005-06-05--2006-06-24
This study sought opinions from respondents across Europe and the United States on various topics pertaining to foreign policy and international relations. The primary topics included: (1) the state of relations between the European Union (EU) and the United States, (2) the George W. Bush Administration's handling of global affairs, (3) the functioning of the European Union (EU), (4) the relevance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), (5) general opinions on various countries, institutions, and population groups, (6) perception of potential international threats, (7) China as an emerging power, (8) Iran and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, (9) civil liberties and national security, (10) the compatibility of Islam and democracy, and (11) the role of the EU and the United States in establishing democracy. Respondents were asked about relations between the United States and Europe including whether it was desirable for the EU to exert strong leadership in the world, whether they were in favor of the United States exerting strong leadership in the world, whether relations between the United States and Europe had improved or gotten worse, and how relations between the United States and Europe regarding security and diplomatic affairs should evolve in the future. Respondents also were asked whether they approved or disapproved of the way George W. Bush was handling international policies. There were several questions that related to the functioning of the EU, such as (1) whether the EU should have its own foreign minister, (2) whether military or economic power is more important when dealing with international problems, (3) whether the EU should seek to strengthen its military power, (4) what effect Turkey's membership would have on the EU, and (5) how further enlargement would change the EU's role in world affairs and its ability to promote peace and democracy. Respondents were questioned about the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and whether they believed NATO was still essential to their country's national security. Respondents were asked to give their opinions on the following countries, institutions, and population groups using a scale of 0 (very cold, unfavorable feeling) to 100 (very warm, favorable feeling): the United States, Russia, Israel, the European Union, Palestinians, Italy, Turkey, China, Iran, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Spain. Respondents were also asked about potential threats facing Europe and the United States such as international terrorism, the inflow of immigrants and refugees, Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, the spread of diseases like avian flu, a major economic downturn, global warming, the growing economic and military power of China, instability in Iraq, and Islamic fundamentalism. Respondents were then asked if they perceived these threats to be important in the next ten years. With respect to Iran, respondents were asked whether action should be taken to prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons, what would be the best and worst options for preventing Iran from obtaining them, whether military action should be taken if diplomacy could not prevent Iran from obtaining them, and which country or organization was best suited for handling the issue of Iranian nuclear weapons. The survey contained a series of questions relating to national security and civil liberties. Opinions were sought on whether respondents would support the government taking actions such as monitoring phone calls, Internet communication, and banking transactions made by citizens, all in the name of preventing terrorism. Questions were also asked about Islam and democracy including whether the values of the two institutions were compatible or not, and if there were problems, whether they existed in Islam as a whole or just in certain Islamic groups. In addition, respondents were asked if the EU and the United States should help establish democracy in other countries, whether this help should be dependent on whether or not the countries would be more likely to oppose the EU and/or the United States, and whether the EU and United States should monitor elections in new democracies, support independent groups and political dissidents, impose political and/or economic sanctions, or intervene militarily in order to establish democracy. Finally, respondents were asked about their voting intentions for the next elections and what factors they took into consideration when deciding for which party to vote. The survey also included several questions aimed at obtaining demographic information such as gender, age, level of education, occupation, household size, region, and ethnicity.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post Poll, September 2002 (ICPSR 3557)
Released/updated on: 2005-12-15
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-09-01--2002-09-30
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 way President George W. Bush was handling his presidency, the economy, education, the United States campaign against terrorism, Social Security, the situation with Iraq, the cost of prescription drugs, environmental issues, and the issue of financial fraud and corporate accounting irregularities. Those polled also expressed their level of support for United States military action against Iraq. They were asked whether they would be for or against military action if United States allies were opposed to it and if Iraq cooperated or did not cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors. Another topic of the survey was the November 2002 congressional election. Respondents were asked whether they had been following the election closely, whether they were going to vote, if so, whether they would vote for the Democratic Party or for the Republican Party, and whether in their opinion the Bush administration was attempting to use the situation with Iraq to help Republican candidates in the November election. They also described factors that would influence their voting decision. A number of questions examined voters' views about the economy. Those polled were asked what the state of the nation's economy was, who was responsible for it, and whether the government was doing enough to improve the economy. Respondents identified the biggest problems facing the nation, and gave their opinions on whether President Bush was spending too much or too little time on the war on terrorism, on the economy, and on other domestic issues. Additionally, respondents were asked which political party, Democrat or Republican, would better handle the nation's main problems, and how proud they were to be Americans. Background information on respondents includes gender, age, education, political party affiliation, political orientation, race, Hispanic origin, voter registration, labor union membership, and subjective size of community.
Curated
ABC News Pre-Election Poll, November 2002 (ICPSR 3768)
Released/updated on: 2003-10-09
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-11-01--2002-11-30
This special topic poll, conducted October 31, 2002, was undertaken to assess respondents' views prior to the November 2002 elections. Respondents were asked about their past voting history, the likelihood that they would vote in the November 2002 elections, and their political party preference. Respondents were also asked to give their opinions on how President George W. Bush and his administration were handling the following: the war on terrorism, Social Security, the economy, health care, prescription drug benefits, and the war with Iraq. They were asked whether these issues affected their voting selections and if so, in what way. Opinions of President George W. Bush, his effectiveness as a leader, and his effect on the November 2002 elections were solicited. In addition, respondents asked about what the priorities of the nation should be, the current state of the national economy, and their personal financial situation. Background information includes age, education, ethnicity, household income, sex, religious orientation, political orientation, and whether the respondent lived in an urban, suburban, or rural area.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post Poll, December 2002 (ICPSR 3769)
Released/updated on: 2003-10-09
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-12-01--2002-12-31
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
Aviation Security and Terrorism: A Review of the Economic Issues (ICPSR 1267)
Released/updated on: 2003-04-25
Geographic coverage: United States
Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the passage of the Aviation and Transportation Act mandated a substantial increase in resources devoted to aviation security. This paper summarized the specific changes stemming from this legislation. In addition, the paper examines the economic issues underlying the regulation and provision of aviation security. The fact that security at one airport can affect the well-being of those at other airports and elsewhere, an example of a network externality (spillover), provides an economic justification for governmental involvement in aviation security. A fundamental question is whether the federal role should be restricted to setting and monitoring security standards or whether the role should also include the financing and implementation of security. A controversial change is that the federal government has assumed responsibility from the airlines and airports for the actual provision of aviation security. Proponents of this change argue that, relative to private provision, public provision reduces the incentives to reduce quality through cost reductions. On the other hand, a public agency might not provide security services efficiently because it can operate in a more-or-less monopolistic way. Furthermore, a public agency might provide an excessive amount of security and incur unnecessary expenses because it is likely to be judged on its security record and not on all the attributes encompassed by air transportation services for consumers. Thus, economic theory does not provide a clear answer to what is likely to be a continuing source of controversy -- the appropriate scope of governmental involvement in aviation security.
Curated
ABC News Bush National Intelligence Poll, May 2002 (ICPSR 3566)
Released/updated on: 2003-03-11
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-05-01--2002-05-31
This special topic poll was undertaken to assess respondents reactions to and feelings about intelligence reports regarding terrorist threats on the United States before and after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, DC. Respondents were asked to give their views of President George W. Bush, his handling of the presidency, and the United States campaign against terrorism. Those polled also expressed their level of confidence in the government's ability to prevent further terrorist attacks against Americans in the United States. Respondents' opinions were elicited on the actions the government took or could have taken to prevent the September 11 terrorist attacks, and to prevent further terrorist attacks. In addition, respondents were queried about their knowledge of past news stories regarding intelligence reports, and they also gave their opinions on the Bush administration's follow-up on those intelligence reports. Other questions focused on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's response to a proposed investigation of Arabs taking flight-school training in the United States, and the United States Congress's investigation of the Bush administration's knowledge of terrorist threats before September 11, 2001, and its handling of that knowledge. Background information includes respondents' political affiliation, education, age, race, and gender.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post Poll, January 2002 (ICPSR 3429)
Released/updated on: 2002-06-27
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-01-01--2002-01-31
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, the economy, education, environmental issues, the federal budget, the campaign against terrorism, and Social Security, as well as their views on Congress, the Republican party, the Democratic party, First Lady Laura Bush, and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. Those queried were asked which domestic and foreign policy issues should receive the administration's attention, which political party could be trusted to address these issues, and on what topics Bush should focus in his upcoming State of the Union speech. Respondents were asked to identify Bush's two most significant accomplishments and to assess his job performance during his first year in office. They were also asked whether Bush understood the problems of the average American, and whether big business, environmental groups, the oil/gas industry, and/or the American people had the appropriate amount of influence in the Bush administration. Opinions were elicited on the state of the nation's economy, how long the current economic recession would last, whether military spending or spending on social programs should be reduced to balance the federal budget, and whether the Bush administration was responsible for the budget deficit. Respondent views were sought on the 2001 collapse of the energy trading giant Enron Corporation. Topics covered whether the Enron situation was an isolated incident, whether new laws regulating corporate accounting practices or the enforcement of existing laws were necessary, the Bush administration's dealings with Enron, whether recipients of campaign contributions from Enron should disclose communications with Enron officials, and whether a full-scale federal investigation should be conducted. A series of questions addressed the ongoing war on terrorism. Topics covered respondent confidence in the ability of the United States government to prevent further terrorist attacks against Americans and to capture/kill Osama Bin Laden, whether his capture was necessary for the war to be considered a success, possible military action against Iraq to force Saddam Hussein from power, and whether non-citizens charged with terrorism should be put on trial in the United States court system or in a military tribunal. A series of questions focused on the benefits given to families of the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Items focused on whether payments should be reduced for families that had other sources of financial benefits, whether victims of previous terrorist attacks should be paid similar benefits, and whether payments should be made to the families and victims of all future terrorist attacks. Respondents expressed their degree of confidence in the federal government's ability to actually solve a problem. Those queried gave their opinions on the amount of waste in military and domestic program spending by the United States government, whether they would rather work in the public or private sector, and whether a smaller government with fewer services or a larger government with many services was preferred. A series of questions focused on Saudi Arabia. Topics covered whether Saudi Arabia was an ally or enemy of the United States, the importance of maintaining good relations with them, and whether the United States was dependent on the oil it buys from Saudi Arabia. In addition, respondents were asked to give their views on whether the federal government should allow oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, political party, political orientation, voter registration and participation history, education, race, Hispanic descent, marital status, children in household, religion, labor union membership, urban/suburban/rural area of residence, whether close family/friends lost a job in the previous six months, and household income.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post Six Months After September 11th Poll, March 2002 (ICPSR 3431)
Released/updated on: 2002-06-27
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-03-01--2002-03-31
This special topic poll was undertaken to assess public opinion on United States military and political action regarding terrorism and terrorist threats six months after September 11, 2001. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency and the campaign against terrorism. Views were also elicited on the military action in Afghanistan, the likelihood and necessity of capturing Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, foreign diplomacy, the possibility of broader anti-terrorist military action, and the effects of September 11th. A series of questions asked whether those queried supported military action in Afghanistan, whether they thought the military action was going well, whether the campaign would become more or less difficult, whether United States involvement would at some point become comparable to its involvement in the Vietnam War, and whether the United States was doing enough to avoid United States military casualties. In regards to bin Laden and the Al Qaeda network, respondents were asked how confident they were that bin Laden would be captured or killed, whether the success of the war on terrorism depended on bin Laden's being captured or killed, how effectively the United States had limited bin Laden's ability to maintain the Al Qaeda network, whether large numbers of United States military casualties should be risked to capture or kill bin Laden, and whether the United States should focus specifically on capturing/killing bin Laden, neutralizing the Al Qaeda network, neither of the two, or both actions. Another series of questions focused on United States diplomatic relationships and the possibility of expanding the current military campaign to other countries. Respondents were asked if the United States was effectively winning support from its allies in the war on terrorism, if the United States was effectively winning support from Muslims in general in the war against terrorism, if American troops should be sent to countries such as the Philippines and Yemen, and if American military action should be taken against Iraq in order to depose Saddam Hussein. If respondents supported action against Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein, they were asked whether allied opposition to such action would affect their support. With respect to future terrorist attacks, respondents were queried as to how much confidence they had in the United States government to prevent such attacks, how concerned they were about more terrorist attacks, and whether the United States was doing all it could to prevent terrorism. The final section focused on changes brought about by the events of September 11th and included questions on whether respondents felt those events had changed the United States in a lasting way, and if so whether this change was for the better or worse, whether respondents' personal lives had been changed, and if so whether their day-to-day lives or their feelings about things were more prominently affected. The last question asked about the respondent's pride in being an American. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, political party, education, Hispanic origin, whether they were currently displaying an American flag in their homes or on their cars, and if so, whether they began doing so after September 11, 2002, or had already been displaying the flag beforehand.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post War Poll #3, December 2001 (ICPSR 3365)
Released/updated on: 2002-03-01
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-12-01--2001-12-31
This special topic poll, conducted on December 18, 2001, was designed to elicit respondents' opinions on the general performance of President George W. Bush and the United States Congress, the ongoing war on terrorism, and the effects on respondents' lives of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Respondents indicated their level of approval of George W. Bush as president, and in particular his handling of the nation's economy and the military action in Afghanistan. Respondents also indicated their level of approval of the United States Congress, whether United States should go in the direction Bush or the Democrats in Congress wanted to lead it, the most important problem that Congress should deal with in 2002, and their level of satisfaction with the amount of attention Congress had paid to various topics. Regarding the United States military action in Afghanistan and the broader United States war on terrorism, respondents were asked whether the most difficult part was over or still to come. Respondents indicated how confident they were that the United States would capture or kill terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, whether the war on terrorism could be a success without the capture or killing of Osama bin Laden, and whether they would prefer to see Osama bin Laden captured or killed. They were also asked about their level of support for United States military action against Iraq to force Saddam Hussein from power and against suspected terrorist bases in other countries, and whether the war on terrorism could be a success without the United States removing Saddam Hussein from power. Respondents gave their opinion on whether the activities of the federal government posed a threat to civil rights, whether the United States government was doing enough to protect the rights of average Americans, Arab-Americans, and American Muslims, and whether terrorist attacks had made respondents more suspicious of people believed to be of Arab descent. Respondents stated whether they were worried about more major terrorist attacks and whether the United States was doing all it reasonably could do to prevent further attacks. They were asked if they would be traveling by commercial airplane and, if traveling, whether their worries had increased or decreased, and whether they expected delays because of increased security. Respondents gave their opinion on whether the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, had changed the United States in a lasting way and if so, whether the change was for better or worse, and whether the cost of the war on terrorism would shortchange other needed programs. Finally, respondents indicated whether the terrorist attacks had changed their personal lives in lasting ways and if so, how, whether the change was for better or worse, and whether they were hopeful or fearful about what 2002 held in store for the world in general. Background information collected on respondents included political affiliation, education, ethnicity, age, and gender.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post War Poll #1, November 2001 (ICPSR 3322)
Released/updated on: 2002-02-11
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-11-01--2001-11-30
This special topic poll, conducted November 5-6, 2001, was undertaken to assess the public's attitudes toward terrorism overseas and at home, the war in Afghanistan, and the anthrax crisis. Respondents were asked for their views on George W. Bush as president and his handling of the nation's economy. Opinions were also sought on the United States military involvement in Afghanistan, whether it was necessary to have United States ground troops in Afghanistan, the position of the United States toward Osama Bin Laden, and whether the success of the war on terrorism implied the captivity or death of Osama Bin Laden. The survey also queried respondents about the Bush administration's willingness to provide reliable information to the public, the federal government's response to the anthrax crisis, whether respondents were confident in the ability of the government to prevent further terrorist attacks in the United States, airport security, and whether respondents were concerned about personally becoming victims of a terrorist attack. In addition, respondents were asked to assess the differences between Bush and the Democrats in Congress in the handling of the economy, and to give their opinions about a proposed new system of national identification. Background information includes the respondent's political party affiliation, education level, race, and gender.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post Afghanistan Attack Poll #1, October 2001 (ICPSR 3298)
Released/updated on: 2001-10-31
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-10-01--2001-10-31
This special topic poll, conducted October 7, 2001, was undertaken to assess respondents' reactions to and feelings about the United States military action in Afghanistan. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way President Bush was handling the response to terrorist attacks in the United States, and whether they supported United States air strikes on Afghanistan and sending a significant number of United States ground troops into that country. Those polled also gave their opinions on whether capturing or killing Osama bin Laden and his associates was a higher priority than overthrowing the Taliban government and how concerned they were about the possibility of further terrorist attacks in America. Respondents also tried to predict whether it would be a quick military action or a long war, and whether the military action in Afghanistan would make further terrorist attacks against the United States more or less likely. Opinions were elicited on whether the United States should have done more to find a diplomatic solution before attacking Afghanistan, whether the United States should mount a broader war against terrorism, whether the United States government was doing enough in its anti-terrorism campaign to win the support of Muslim people, and whether respondents supported the humanitarian aid for Afghans. Background information on respondents includes gender and political party affiliation.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post Afghanistan Attack Poll #2, October 2001 (ICPSR 3299)
Released/updated on: 2001-10-31
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-10-01--2001-10-31
This special topic poll, conducted October 8, 2001, was undertaken to assess respondents' reactions to and feelings about the United States military action in Afghanistan. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way President Bush was handling the response to terrorist attacks in the United States, and whether they supported United States air strikes on Afghanistan and sending a significant number of United States ground troops into that country. Respondents were asked whether they believed that the United States government was doing all it reasonably could do to try to prevent further terrorist attacks and whether they supported United States military action against other countries supporting terrorism. Those polled expressed their level of concern about the possibility of further terrorist attacks (specifically biological and chemical) in America, and how confident they were in the abilities of the federal and local governments, police, and health agencies to respond effectively to a biological or chemical attack in the United States. A battery of questions focused on the Muslim religion and its believers, including whether respondents had a good basic understanding of Islam, how they viewed this religion, whether Arabs and Muslims had positive or negative opinions about the United States and reasons for these opinions, whether they thought the terrorists who attacked the United States in September were close in their views to the mainstream teachings of Islam, and whether they knew anyone who was a Muslim. Respondents also gave their opinions on whether the United States was doing enough to improve its image among Arabs and Muslims. Another subject of this survey was the Middle East. Those polled commented on whether they had more sympathy for Israel or for the Palestinian Authority, whether the United States should increase support for Israel or decrease support for Israel and recognize Palestine as an independent nation, and what was more important at this time--United States relations with Israel or with the Arab nations. Additional questions focused on the possibility of a broader war between the United States and its allies on one side and Arabs and Muslims on the other side, the efforts of the United States to avoid a broader war, and racial profiling and social consent for racial profiling as a tool against terrorism. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, race, Hispanic origin, religion, political party affiliation, political orientation, education, and objective size of community.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post Anthrax Poll, October 2001 (ICPSR 3300)
Released/updated on: 2001-10-31
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-10-01--2001-10-31
This special topic poll, conducted October 15, 2001, was undertaken to assess respondents' reactions to and feelings about the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, DC, the United States' war on terrorism, and the recent letters contaminated with anthrax bacteria being distributed through the mail. Respondents were asked how they viewed President George W. Bush and his handling of the United States' campaign against terrorism, whether they believed that the United States government was doing all it could to prevent further terrorist attacks against America, and whether they were concerned about the possibility that there would be more major terrorist attacks in the United States. A series of questions focusing on the anthrax attacks queried respondents on whether they were concerned that they or someone close to them would be a victim of an anthrax attack, how confident they were in the ability of the United States government to respond effectively to a large-scale biological or chemical attack in the United States, and how accurate they thought news media reports on the anthrax situation were. In addition, respondents were asked whether they had purchased or intended to purchase a supply of antibiotics in case of a biological attack, and, if they had purchased antibiotics, what brand they bought. Those queried were asked to assess their level of concern that the United States war on terrorism would grow into a broader war between the United States and its allies and the Arab and Muslim world, and whether the United States was doing all it reasonably could to avoid civilian casualties as a result of the military action in Afghanistan. Background information on respondents includes gender and political party.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post Terrorist Attack Poll #3, September 2001 (ICPSR 3294)
Released/updated on: 2001-10-22
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-09-01--2001-09-30
This special topic poll, conducted September 20, 2001, was undertaken to assess respondents' reactions to and feelings about the terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center towers in New York City, damaged the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and caused a plane crash in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. Respondents were asked whether they approved of President George W. Bush's response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as well as his proposed remedies, what the consequences were of various levels of military action that could be taken in response to the terrorist threat, and how they viewed the state of the nation's economy. Respondents were also asked whether they watched or listened to any of Bush's address to Congress on September 20, 2001, how much Bush's proposed measures such as stricter airport security, stronger law enforcement efforts, and the creation of a new White House office for domestic security would reduce the risk of another major terrorist attack in this country, and whether Bush's speech made respondents more or less confident in the ability of the United States to deal with the crisis. Assuming that the groups and nations responsible for the terrorist attacks were identified, respondents were asked whether they would support military action against these groups, and whether they would support military action even if it meant getting into a war. Opinions were elicited on whether the United States should limit its military action to the terrorist groups and nations responsible for the September 11, 2001, attacks or broaden its actions to include all terrorist groups and nations, whether taking or not taking military action would result in a greater risk of further terrorism in this country, whether large numbers of troops would be killed and wounded, and whether military action would last for a few weeks, a few months, a year or so, or several years. Concerning the nation's economy, respondents were asked to describe the current state of the economy as excellent, good, not so good, or poor, and to comment on whether the economy was heading into a recession. Background information on respondents includes political party, age, race, and gender.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post Terrorist Attack Poll #4, September 2001 (ICPSR 3295)
Released/updated on: 2001-10-22
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-09-01--2001-09-30
This special topic poll, conducted September 25-27, 2001, was undertaken to assess respondents' reactions to and feelings about the terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center towers in New York City, damaged the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and caused a plane crash in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of the way President George W. Bush was handling the presidency and the terrorist attacks. Respondents were also asked whether they would support taking military action in response, and whether they believed that the United States government would go to war as a result of the attacks. They were further asked whether they would feel the same way if military action caused the death of or injured innocent civilians in other countries and large numbers of American troops due to a long war. Respondents were queried on whether they would support mounting a broader war against terrorist groups and the nations that support them, whether they believed there would be more major terrorist attacks in this country, what the United States must do in its war on international terrorism, and, supposing that the United States accomplished all of its objectives, whether it would still have won the war on terrorism if there were to be another major terrorist attack. Respondents' opinions were elicited on Osama bin Laden, the main suspect in the attack, who was reportedly living in Afghanistan. They were asked whether they believed that the United States would capture or kill bin Laden, and would be able to significantly reduce terrorist attacks against the United States. Respondents were also asked whether action on education reform and prescription drugs for seniors should be postponed for at least a year because of the war on terrorism. Additional topics covered how much the respondents trusted the government to do the right thing, how patriotic they were, whether they appreciated more the privileges they had in this country, and whether they were more willing to make personal sacrifices for the good of the country. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, political party, education, residency, marital status, children in household, race, and household income.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post Terrorist Attack Poll #1, September 2001 (ICPSR 3289)
Released/updated on: 2001-10-01
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-09-01--2001-09-30
This special topic poll, conducted September 11, 2001, was undertaken to assess respondents' reactions to and feelings about the terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center towers in New York City, damaged the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and resulted in a plane crash in Pennsylvania, earlier that day. Respondents were asked whether they believed that the United States government did all it reasonably could do to try to prevent the attacks, whether they were confident in the ability of the United States government to prevent further terrorist attacks against America, and whether they were concerned that someone they knew or their community might be a victim of future acts of terrorism. Assuming that the United States is able to identify the groups and/or nations responsible for the attacks, those queried were asked whether they would support taking military action in response, whether they would support such action if it meant war, and whether military action should be taken against countries that assist or shelter known terrorists. The poll gauged respondents' level of confidence in the ability of the United States government to find and punish those responsible and assessed whether respondents were willing to give up some liberties to crack down on terrorism. In addition, those surveyed were asked whether they did any of the following on that day: contacted family and friends, stayed home or left work early, watched or listened to broadcast news, prayed for the victims and their families, and/or changed their daily routines. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, employment status, Hispanic origin, and size of community in which they resided.
Curated
ABC News/Washington Post Terrorist Attack Poll #2, September 2001 (ICPSR 3290)
Released/updated on: 2001-10-01
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2001-09-01--2001-09-30
This special topic poll, conducted September 13, 2001, was undertaken to assess respondents' reactions to and feelings about the terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center towers in New York City, damaged the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and resulted in a plane crash in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency and the terrorist attacks. Respondents were asked whether they believed that the United States government did all it reasonably could do to try to prevent the attacks, and whether they were confident in the ability of the United States government to prevent future terrorist attacks against America. Assuming that the United States is able to identify the groups and/or nations responsible for the attacks, those queried were asked whether they would support taking military action in response. Respondents were asked whether they would feel the same way if military action meant that innocent civilians in other countries might be injured or killed and if military action resulted in a long war with large numbers of troops injured or killed. Those queried were asked whether they believed that the United States would go to war as a result of Tuesday's attacks. Respondents' opinions were elicited on Osama bin Laden, a suspect in the recent attacks, who reportedly lived in Afghanistan and was indicted for directing previous terrorist attacks. They were asked whether they would support attacking Afghanistan militarily if Afghanistan did not turn bin Laden over to the United States. Respondents were also asked whether they would support new laws that would make it easier for the FBI and other authorities to investigate suspected terrorists, giving up some of their personal liberties and privacy as a result of such laws, and whether they would support new airport security measures that might cause long delays in air travel. Those surveyed were asked about their personal safety concerns regarding upcoming air travel and whether they had cancelled or were planning to cancel future travel plans. Additional topics covered whether the attacks had made respondents more suspicious of people of Arab descent, how their children were reacting to the acts of terrorism, and whether the economy was heading into a recession. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, political party, children in household, and frequency of air travel.
Curated
ABC News Clinton Terrorism Poll, August 1998 (ICPSR 2634)
Released/updated on: 1999-02-25
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1998-08-01--1998-08-31
This special topic poll, fielded August 19, 1998, sought respondents' views on the presidency and on the United States' decision, earlier in the day, to launch missile attacks against sites in Afghanistan and Sudan that were suspected to have been used by terrorists who attacked two United States embassies in Africa earlier in the month. Respondents were asked whether they believed that the attacks would prove an effective deterrent against future acts of terrorism, whether they trusted President Bill Clinton to handle the United States' response to terrorism, and whether the attacks were for the purpose of combating terrorism or to shift public attention away from the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Those queried were also asked whether they believed that the situation involving Lewinsky had interfered with Clinton's ability to serve effectively as president. Background information on respondents includes sex and political party.
Curated
Domestic Terrorism: Assessment of State and Local Preparedness in the United States, 1992 (ICPSR 6566)
Released/updated on: 1996-10-01
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1992-01-01--1992-12-31
This project sought to analyze states' and municipalities' terrorism preparedness as a means of providing law enforcement with information about the prevention and control of terrorist activities in the United States. To accomplish this objective, a national survey of state and local law enforcement agencies was conducted to assess how law enforcement agencies below the federal level perceive the threat of terrorism in the United States and to identify potentially promising anti- and counter-terrorism programs currently used by these jurisdictions. For the purposes of this survey, the researchers used the legal definition of terrorism as provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which is "the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment of either, to further political or social objectives." However, incidents reported by state or local law enforcement agencies as potential terrorist incidents often are reclassified as ordinary crimes by the FBI if the FBI investigation does not reveal evidence that more than one crime was intended to be committed or that a network of individuals had prepared to carry out additional acts. Since these reported potential terrorist incidents may provide important early warnings that an organized terrorism effort is emerging, the researchers broadened the official definition to include suspected incidents and state and local officials' perceptions of crime due to terrorism. Three distinct jurisdictions with overlapping responsibilities for terrorism preparedness were surveyed in this study: (1) state law enforcement agencies, in most cases the state police, (2) organizations with emergency preparedness responsibilities and statewide authority but with limited powers of law enforcement, and (3) local law enforcement agencies, such as municipal police and sheriff departments. Similar questions were asked for all three jurisdiction groups. Variables pertaining to the organization include questions about contingency plans, guidelines, and special police training for dealing with threats of terrorism, the amount and types of information and resources exchanged among various agencies, and whether the agency had a special terrorism unit and, if so, its duties. Variables dealing with threat assessment include whether the agency had identified right-wing, left-wing, international, ethnic/emigre, or special-issue terrorist groups within their jurisdiction and how many incidents were attributed to each group. Additional variables provide information on whether the agency was involved in investigating any terrorist incidents and the type of support received from other agencies for these investigations. The risk assessment section of the survey sought information on whether the agency had conducted a risk assessment and what potential terrorist targets were present in their jurisdiction. Questions in the threat environment section cover the respondent's assessment of the impact of the Persian Gulf War, the agency's sources of information pertaining to terrorism, the likelihood of terrorist attacks on various major installations nationally, and the likelihood of a major attack in their jurisdiction. Administrative variables include the number of sworn officers or professional staff, number of support staff, department's budget for the current fiscal year, whether the agency received federal funds, and what percentage of the federal funds were used for anti-terrorism efforts.