Showing 1 – 23 of 23 results.
Curated
Eviction Moratoria and Housing Policy: Federal, State, Commonwealth, and Territory, [United States], 2020-2022 (ICPSR 39468)
Released/updated on: 2025-12-09
Geographic coverage: United States, Marshall Islands, Guam, Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Micronesia (Federated States)
Time period: 2020-03-13--2022-03-01
Researchers employed longitudinal policy surveillance to comprehensively describe state responses to the eviction crisis resulting from the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing through the end of substantive state intervention. The study relied on an exhaustive collection of all emergency orders and legislation that controlled the eviction process, related to protections under federal moratoria, or provided support to tenants and that were issued by state governors, courts, and legislative bodies between March 13, 2020 and March 1, 2022. Researchers developed a dynamic, novel dataset consisting of over 50 indicators which captured the temporal and substantive features of these moratoria and renter-supportive measures. To confirm that the dataset was complete, researchers provided state governors and court officials with lists of collected orders from their states and incorporated any needed additions. From this validated dataset, researchers created a time series cross-sectional dataset that tracked changes in a state's overall eviction moratoria and supportive measures over time.
Self-published
Fifty State Alcohol Related Firearm Law Data (ICPSR 239498)
Released/updated on: 2025-11-01
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2010-01-01--2023-12-31
The State Alcohol-Related Firearm Statutes (SARFS) dataset was developed to analyze statutes that aim to prevent or regulate firearm access by individuals who are either acutely intoxicated or have alcohol misuse history (“alcohol-related firearm laws”) from all 50 states and to examine their impact on firearm-related injuries and mortality. This dataset contains numerical variables that describe enactment, amendment, and repeal (if applicable) of alcohol-related firearm laws during the years of 2010 to 2023.The methods used to perform the original legal research followed a pre-published protocol: Silver D, Bae J, Macinko J. Protocol for creating a dataset of US state alcohol-related firearm laws 2000–2022. PLoS one. 2024 Mar 7;19(3):e029924. In brief, the most up-to-date version of statutes were collected from Westlaw, a proprietary online legal research database, beginning with the following broad search terms applied to the entirety of the state statutory codes: [(influence intoxicat! drunk! alcohol) /50 firearm] and [(influence intoxicat! drunk! alcohol) /50 gun]. Utilizing the legislative history summary provided by Westlaw and its historical database, any bills that enacted, amended, or repealed the statutes from 2010 to 2023 as well as court decisions enjoining the laws from going into effect (temporary or permanent) were also obtained. All texts were reviewed and key provisions were coded as separate variables. Each calendar year constitutes a separate sheet in the file, containing variables representing the laws as of that time of 50 states. Any substantive modifications of existing laws were coded as new events with their effective dates specified. Additional Westlaw research was conducted to retrieve penalties and other relevant factors.
Curated
Simple Crosstabs
Tenant Right to Counsel Law and Policy, United States, 2017-2024 (ICPSR 39350)
Released/updated on: 2025-09-29
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2017-01-01--2024-12-31
This study provides a description of state and local tenant right to counsel policies. From July 2017 through June 2024, five states, 17 cities, and one county passed legislation to formally create a right to legal counsel in eviction proceedings. These policies contain heterogeneous provisions, including their intended purposes, design and administration requirements, eligibility criteria, and when the right is triggered in the eviction process. Investigators applied longitudinal policy surveillance, legal mapping, and legal analysis techniques to describe state and local tenant right to counsel laws in 23 jurisdictions. The resulting study includes the requirements and characteristics of tenant right to counsel law, such as policy justification, dates of significance (e.g., passage, effect, implementation), program administration, eligibility criteria, court processes, and community engagement requirements, among other variables.
Curated
Restricted
The Role of Indigent Defense for Defendants with Mental Health Disorders, New York, 2013-2015 (ICPSR 36736)
Released/updated on: 2024-05-29
Geographic coverage: United States, New York (state)
Time period: 2013-10-01--2015-05-01
The incarceration of people with mental health disorders represents a significant public health crisis. People with mental health needs are over-represented in the justice system and in 2009 alone there were an estimated 2 million bookings of individuals with mental health disorders into United States jails, equivalent to approximately 18 percent of all admissions (Steadman et al., 2009).
While some indigent defense offices employ social workers or staff with clinical training to assess client needs and advise attorneys on defense strategies, there are far more public defenders that do not have access to these resources. While millions of people with mental illness are arrested every year, there continues to be challenges inherent in representing this population or the training and support needs of public defenders.
This project addresses examines the needs of defendants with mental health disorders and the specific challenges that attorneys face when representing these individuals. Specifically, the Vera Institute of Justice (Vera) and Policy Research Associates Inc. (PRA) used multiple methods to assess the dual perspective of defendants and defenders concerning:
- The link between mental health and justice involvement
- Perceptions of the attorney-client relationship and satisfaction with case outcomes
- The needs of defendants with mental health disorders
- How a client's mental health impacts defenders' strategy
Self-published
Data for "Courts, Legislatures, and Evolving Property Rules" (ICPSR 198762)
Released/updated on: 2024-03-01
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1831-01-01--1907-12-31
These data are used in our paper, "Courts, Legislatures, and Evolving Property Rules: Lessons from Eminent Domain." The state-level data set indicates whether and when U.S. states allowed (or prohibited) the use of the "benefit offset" when determining the amount of "just compensation" required for the application of eminent domain. Some changes in the rules governing the benefit offset were determined by court rulings, while other changes were legislative. The data also include variables to measure the expansion of rail lines during the 19th railroad boom, as well as other variables used in our analysis.
We have posted four files:
"Replication_do.do" - Stata do file that generates the econometric results
"Replication_data.dta" - Stata data file used by the the do file
"Figure 1b variable.xlsx" - Excel file for Figure 1b
"Table 4 variables.xlsx" - Excel file for Table 4
See our paper for additional information, including variable definitions and data sources.
Curated
State Vaccination Requirements and Exemption Law Database, 2011 (ICPSR 34486)
Released/updated on: 2024-02-14
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2011-01-01--2011-12-31
The primary objective of this project was to prepare a complete and comprehensive database of state laws pertaining to immunization requirements and exemptions. To that end, the LexisNexis Academic search engine was used to search statutory and administrative materials for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, using the search term "immunization" together with other relevant terms. That search retrieved 1,991 laws whose characteristics were coded in the database by project staff. This data collection comprises a data file with the coded information and a ZIP archive which contains 1,991 PDF files with the full text of the laws.
After an initial review, the project staff categorized the retrieved laws into three groups. Group 1 consists of laws not applicable to human immunization, such as laws related to immunity from prosecution, vaccination of animals, and state sovereign immunity. Group 2 comprises laws with provisions related to specific vaccination requirements and exemptions as to which vaccines should be given to whom. Lastly, Group 3 covers vaccination laws without provisions related to specific vaccination requirements or exemptions as to which vaccines should be given to whom, for example, laws with provisions for immunization registries, annual reporting requirements, and access to and financing of vaccines.
The amount and type of information recorded about a law in the data file depends on its group classification. For every law in all three groups, the data file identifies the group, names the PDF file with the text of the law, and names the state to which the law applies. For Group 2 and Group 3, the data file also describes the topics covered by the law, the year it came into effect, and whether or not the law is current or repealed. Additional information for Group 2 describes target populations, target institutions, applicable vaccines, and exemption characteristics. The data file also includes brief textual descriptions of the Group 2 laws.
Self-published
The Political Economy of Status Competition: Sumptuary Laws in Preindustrial Europe (ICPSR 187801)
Released/updated on: 2023-03-31
Geographic coverage: Western Europe
Time period: 1100-01-01--1850-12-31
Sumptuary laws that regulated clothing based on social status were an important part of the political economy of premodern states. We introduce a model that captures the notion that consumption by ordinary citizens posed a status threat to ruling elites. Our model predicts a non-monotonic effect of income - sumptuary legislation initially increases with income, but then falls as income increases further. The initial rise is more likely for states with less extractive institutions, whose ruling elites face greater status threat from the rising commercial class. We test these predictions using a new dataset of country and city-level sumptuary laws.
Curated
Restricted
State Pre-Emption of Municipal Laws and Policies Affecting Immigrants' Culture of Health, North Carolina, 2019-2020 (ICPSR 38558)
Released/updated on: 2022-10-10
Geographic coverage: North Carolina, United States
Time period: 2019-08-01--2020-02-29
Municipal laws and policies affect the social, economic, and legal conditions of civic and private lives of immigrants in profound and fundamental ways, including both direct access to health services, as well as broader social determinants that contribute to a Culture of Health, such as employment, housing, education, transportation, and law enforcement. Some municipalities have proclaimed themselves sanctuary cities or counties or have adopted laws and policies that limit local involvement in immigration enforcement or protect immigrants to some substantial extent. However, at least nine states have laws that preempt local municipal protective laws and policies, and more than a dozen other states reportedly are considering similar pre-emption laws. The research team systematically examined the consequences of state preemption of protective municipal laws and policies on the health and well-being of a large and particularly vulnerable community in the United States: the immigrant Latinx/Hispanic community.
Self-published
Education Law and Policy in the Time of COVID-19: Using a Legal Framework to Expose Educational Inequity (ICPSR 151041)
Released/updated on: 2021-09-28
Geographic coverage: United States
Empirical data show that the COVID-19 pandemic deepened and exacerbated social inequalities, to the detriment of low-income communities of color. Using the law as a conceptual framework and legal research methodology, this study examines education law against the exacerbated social inequalities low-income of students of color faced during the pandemic. Considering the bounds of the law against the exacerbated social inequalities surfaces the limitations of the law in a time of large-scale crisis and thereby exposes issues of educational inequity. In this context, policymakers bear the responsibility to adopt policies that promote educational equity. The study brings educational law and policy issues in the COVID-19 context to the fore of the educational equity discourse within the educational research community and has implications for policy and practice as well. The study is of import as educational researchers continue to examine the impact of COVID-19 across numerous social contexts and disciplines.
Curated
Compendium of State Privacy and Security Legislation, United States, 2002-2015 (ICPSR 37826)
Released/updated on: 2021-06-21
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2002-01-01--2015-12-31
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Compendium of State Privacy and Security Legislation database consists of state laws, executive orders, and administrative regulations relating to the privacy and security of criminal history record information (CHRI). The Compendium database documents how the states and territories regulate the disclosure and security of CHRI. SEARCH (the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics) completed the previous version of the Compendium database for BJS in 2002. During 2014 and 2015, the Federal Research Division (FRD) of the Library of Congress updated the Compendium database for BJS.
Curated
Simple Crosstabs
Eurobarometer 82.2: Quality of Transport, Cyber Security, Value Added Tax, and Public Health, October 2014 (ICPSR 36662)
Released/updated on: 2017-10-13
Geographic coverage: Cyprus, Portugal, Malta, Greece, Netherlands, Sweden, Great Britain, Austria, Latvia, Luxembourg, Ireland, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, France, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Croatia, Romania, Hungary, Northern Ireland, Spain, Czech Republic, Belgium, European Union, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Estonia
Time period: 2014-01-01--2014-12-31
The Eurobarometer series is a unique cross-national and cross-temporal survey program conducted on behalf of the European Commission. These surveys regularly monitor public opinion in the European Union (EU) member countries and consist of standard modules and special topic modules. The standard modules address attitudes towards European unification, institutions and policies, measurements for general socio-political orientations, as well as respondent and household demographics. The special topic modules address such topics as agriculture, education, natural environment and resources, public health, public safety and crime, and science and technology. This round of Eurobarometer surveys covers the following special topics:(1) Quality of Transport, (2) Cyber Security, (3) Value Added Tax, and (4) Public Health.
Respondents' opinions were collected regarding common forms of transportation, status of infrastructure in the respondent's country, reasons for using various forms of transportation, the use of autonomous vehicles, frequency and purpose of travel, and issues affecting rail, air, sea, and road transportation. Additional questions were asked regarding risks of cyber crime, respondents' use of the internet, how cyber security concerns have altered respondents' online behavior, prevention of online harassment of household children, and concern about and experience with being victimized in cyber crime. Respondents were also asked about the Value Added Tax (VAT) and how often they purchased goods from other EU member states. Further questions include knowledge of information regarding reimbursement for healthcare, and respondents' willingness to and opinions of policies related to blood, tissue, and organ donation.
Demographic and other background information collected includes age, gender, nationality, marital status, occupation, left-right political self-placement, age when stopped full-time education, household composition, ownership of a fixed or mobile telephone and other durable goods, difficulties in paying bills, self-assessed level in society, self-assessed social class, and Internet use. In addition, country-specific data includes type and size of locality, region of residence, and language of interview.
Curated
United States Firearm Transfer Analysis (2005-2010) (ICPSR 36358)
Released/updated on: 2016-02-15
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2005-01-01--2010-12-31
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.
This study examines the increase in firearm background checks and the increase in firearm transfer and permit application denials. The study is a secondary analysis, primarily of data already available through public sources. Distributed here are the code used for the secondary analysis and the data not otherwise available through other public means. Please refer to the readme file, distributed with this study, for a list of instructions on how to obtain all other data used in this study.
Curated
Simple Crosstabs
CBS News/New York Times Poll, December #2, 2013 (ICPSR 36065)
Released/updated on: 2015-10-19
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2013-12-04--2013-12-15
This poll, the last of two fielded in December 2013, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on a range of political and social issues. Respondents were asked about their general attitudes toward the government, economy, the direction of the country, and health care issues including the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health care reform law of 2010. Opinions were collected on the coverage, quality, affordability, and source of respondents' health insurance, along with reasons for being uninsured. Furthermore, respondents provided speculation on the impacts, both personal and nationwide, of the health care law (ACA) passed in 2010, as well as their approval of components of the law. Additional topics of the poll include use and understanding of health care online exchange Web sites, specifically Healthcare.gov, and the problems respondents faced using the sites. Demographic information includes sex, age, race, marital status, education level, household income, religious affiliation, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political party, and political philosophy.
Curated
Simple Crosstabs
Open Budget Survey, 2006-2012 (ICPSR 34932)
Released/updated on: 2014-03-31
Geographic coverage: Middle East, United States, Asia, Europe, North Africa, Caribbean, North America, Global, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America
Time period: 2006-01-01--2006-12-31, 2008-01-01--2008-12-31, 2010-01-01--2010-12-31, 2012-01-01--2012-12-31
The Open Budget Survey evaluated whether central governments in countries around the world provided the public with access to budget information and opportunities to participate in the budget process. Beginning in 2006, the Open Budget Survey is conducted biennially in partnership with independent civil society researchers within each country. To measure the overall commitment of the countries surveyed to transparency and to allow for comparisons among countries, the International Budget Partnership created the Open Budget Index from the Open Budget Survey which assigned a score to each country based on the information it made available to the public throughout the budget process.
External data
International Social Survey Program: Religion, 1991 (ICPSR 34846)
Released/updated on: 2013-08-12
Geographic coverage: Hungary, United States, Philippines, Northern Ireland, Global, Russia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Great Britain, Austria, Norway, Ireland, Poland, Italy, Israel, Slovenia, Germany
Time period: 1991-01-01--1991-12-31
The International Social Survey Program (ISSP) is an ongoing program of crossnational collaboration. Formed in 1983, the group develops topical modules dealing with important areas of social science as supplements to regular national surveys. The 1991 "Religion" module includes data from Austria, West Germany, East Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Northern Ireland, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, and the United States. The module covers three main topic areas: (1) general attitudes toward various social issues such as the legal system, sex, and the economy (e.g., opinions of legal fairness and the economic climate), (2) religion (e.g., attitudes about God, heaven, hell, life after death, personal and family members' religious status, attendance at religious services, and religious commitment), and (3) demographics (e.g., marital status, age, sex, education, occupation, family composition, and political affiliations).
External data
International Social Survey Program: Religion II, 1998 (ICPSR 34839)
Released/updated on: 2013-08-07
Geographic coverage: Cyprus, Portugal, Russia, Netherlands, Great Britain, Austria, Latvia, Ireland, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, France, Chile, Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Philippines, Northern Ireland, Spain, New Zealand, Canada, Czech Republic, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Israel, Australia, Germany
Time period: 1998-01-01--1998-12-31
The International Social Survey Program (ISSP) is an ongoing program of crossnational collaboration. Formed in 1983, the group develops topical modules dealing with important areas of social science as supplements to regular national surveys. The 1998 religion module includes data from Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, the Slovakian Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. Comparable to the initial module on this topic, this survey covers three main topic areas: (1) general attitudes toward various social issues such as government, the legal system, sex, and the economy (e.g., opinions about personal happiness, government responsibilities toward citizens, abortion, male and female roles in the household, premarital cohabitation, personal trust and trust in others, confidence in various institutions such as legislatures, businesses, churches, courts, and schools, legal fairness, and the economic climate), (2) religion (e.g., role of religious leaders, role of science in relation to religion, attitudes about God, heaven, hell, and life after death, personal and family members' religious status, attendance at religious services, miracles, the Bible, the purpose of life, prayer, volunteer work, and religious commitment), and (3) demographics (e.g., marital status, age, sex, education, occupation, family composition, ethnicity, region, size of community, and political affiliation).
Curated
The Justice of Land in a Land of Injustice, 2004 (ICPSR 30102)
Released/updated on: 2011-11-29
Geographic coverage: Africa, South Africa, Global
Time period: 2004-02-11--2004-10-07
The Justice of Land in a Land of Injustice study was conducted in South Africa. This study examined the lingering effects of Apartheid, with a focus on land distribution. Respondents were asked about their media usage, their interest in politics, whether they discussed politics with others, the general economic situation in South Africa, and their family's standard of living. They were then asked about their relationships with other people, including whether they got along with those with differing opinions, viewpoints, and values. Respondents were also asked about property rights. Questions included whether the land rights of the wealthy should be reduced, if community rights were more important than individual rights, if only property owners should be allowed to vote, if people had a right to land they had lived on for a long time despite not owning it, whether people should receive compensation if their land should be taken away for land reform, the possible consequences of taking away land rights, if land should be taken away from certain groups only, or whether all land right claims should be denied. Respondents were queried about civil rights and freedoms. Questions included how important rights such as free speech, the right to protest, and the right to land ownership were to them. They were also asked whether it was acceptable for the police to search houses without permission in order to fight crime and if sometimes it would be necessary to ignore the law to solve problems. Respondents were then asked to list the groups they do and do not identify with, and how they felt about being a member of a group. They were asked to self-categorize into groups and then queried about their interactions and relations with other groups. They were asked how much contact they had with other groups and how many of their "true" friends were members of different groups. Respondents were also asked how well they understood the customs of other groups, if they were uncomfortable being around or sharing the same political party with a group, and if South Africa would be better off if other groups were not present. Next, respondents were asked about Apartheid. Questions included how many Black people were harmed by Apartheid, if large companies both inside and outside of South Africa were to blame for the harm done, and whether these companies should be forced to pay for the harm they caused under Apartheid. Additionally, they were queried about their life under Apartheid compared to their current life, including past experiences such as having to use a pass to move around, and being assaulted by the police. Respondents were also asked about their knowledge of government organizations including the South African Constitutional Court and Parliament, and their satisfaction with these organizations. They were then asked how important certain issues were to them such as drugs, unemployment, and racial reconciliation. Additionally, they were asked about the election of leaders, and whether multi-party elections were effective ways to choose those leaders. Respondents were also asked about the goods they owned and their financial assets. The survey also included several vignettes with scenarios of land disputes, which were read to the respondents. They were then asked their opinions of the possible outcomes of these vignettes. Demographic information included age, year of birth, highest education level completed, language spoken mostly at home, attendance at places of religious worship, religion, employment status, household composition, how long they have lived in their current community, whether that community had a Traditional Leader, ownership of goods, membership in organizations, whether someone close has died of AIDS, has AIDS, or are HIV positive, and province, size, and metropolitan area of residence. Finally, interviewer attributes and observations are included.
Curated
Database of State Tort Law Reforms (3rd), 1980-2008 (ICPSR 30409)
Released/updated on: 2011-03-09
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1980-01-01--2008-12-31
This data collection contains two Excel files that code ten reforms found in the Database of State Tort Law Reforms (DSTLR 3rd). The DSTLR (3rd) contains the most detailed, complete, and comprehensive legal dataset of the most prevalent tort reforms enacted or revised in all 50 states and the District of Columbia between 1980 and 2008. For each reform, the DSTLR (3rd) records the effective date, a short description of the reform, whether or not the jury is allowed to know about the reform, whether the reform was upheld or struck down by the states' courts, as well as whether it was amended by the state legislator. One of the Excel files codes the DSTLR (3rd). The other Excel file, DSTLR 3rd (clever), turns off reforms for various reasons, such as the caps being too high to bind. A Word document explains what distinguishes the DSTLR 3rd (clever) Excel file from the regular DSTLR (3rd) Excel file. The Excel files code the state tort reforms for non-wrongful-death medical malpractice related laws based on the DSTLR (3rd). However, users of the file should be aware that there are many legitimate ways to code the data. Specifically, users should be aware that: (1) If the Avraham, Database of State Tort Law Reforms (3rd) effective date of the reform was on or after July 1st, it was coded as belonging to the following year. (The rationale being that for most of the calendar year in which it was enacted the reform did not apply). (2) Similarly, if a reform was struck down on or after July 1st, it was coded as still active in that year. (The rationale being that for most of the calendar year in which it was struck down the reform did apply). (3) Reforms which simply codified pre-existing common law were not coded. (4) While reforms come in many flavors, the file collapses them into a single zero or one dummy variable. Thus, there is no distinction between different levels of caps, different variations of the joint and several liability reform, etc. (5) The only exception to the previous rule is with respect to periodic payment reforms which was coded in the following way. Zero means no reform existed in that year. A reform which granted courts the discretion of whether or not to apply periodic payments is coded as one. A reform which required courts to apply periodic payments is coded as two.
Curated
Focal Point Theory Test of Behavior and Attitudes (ICPSR 24721)
Released/updated on: 2009-08-26
Geographic coverage: United States, Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
Economic theories of legal compliance emphasize legal sanctions, whereas psychological and sociological theories stress the perceived legitimacy of law. Without disputing the importance of either mechanism, this study tests a third way that law affects behavior, an expressive theory that claims law influences behavior by creating a focal point around which individuals coordinate. The study examined how various forms of third-party "cheap talk" influence the behavior of subjects in a Hawk/Dove or Chicken game. Despite the players' conflicting interests, it was found that messages highlighting an equilibrium tend to produce that outcome. Most striking, this result emerged even when the message was selected by an overtly random, mechanical process. A similar result was obtained when the message was delivered by a third-party subject; the latter effect was significantly stronger than the former only when the subject speaker was selected by a merit-based process. These results suggest that, in certain circumstances, law generates compliance not only by sanctions and legitimacy, but also by facilitating coordination around a focal outcome.
Curated
ABC News Terri Schiavo Poll, March 2005 (ICPSR 4320)
Released/updated on: 2006-06-09
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2005-03-20--2005-03-20
This poll was conducted in response to the controversy regarding the cessation of life support for Florida resident Terri Schiavo. Respondents were asked whether or not they had been following the case and if they supported or opposed the decision to remove the feeding tube. They were also asked if federal courts should be involved in this case, if Congress should get involved in similar cases, and whether politicians were more concerned for Schiavo or for gaining political advantage. The survey also contained questions about whether respondents would want to be kept alive if in a similar situation, if the case caused them to have discussions with friends and family regarding their wishes, and if any friends or family had passed away after terminating life support. Other information collected included political party affiliation, political philosophy, religious affiliation, and gender.
Curated
Law-Related Education Evaluation Project [United States], 1979-1984 (ICPSR 8406)
Released/updated on: 2006-01-18
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1979-01-01--1984-12-31
This data collection contains information gathered to evaluate certain activities of a number of organizations dedicated to the advancement of law-related education (LRE) in elementary, junior high, and senior high schools. The organizations whose activities were evaluated were (1) the Constitution Rights Foundation, (2) Law in a Free Society, (3) the National Street Law Institute, (4) the American Bar Association's Special Committee on Youth Education for Citizenship, (5) the Children's Legal Rights Information and Training Program, and (6) the Phi Alpha Delta Committee for Juvenile Justice. The evaluation research dealt primarily with two types of issues: (1) the degree of increase in awareness of and receptivity toward LRE among the nation's educators, juvenile justice, and other related professionals, as well as the degree of institutionalization of LRE in certain targeted states (i.e., California, Michigan, and North Carolina), and (2) the degree to which LRE could produce changes in students' knowledge of and attitudes about the law, and reduce juvenile delinquency (measured both by self-reported delinquency rates and by attitudes previously shown to be correlated with delinquent behavior). In 1981 (Part 1) and again in 1982 (Part 2), questionnaires were mailed to a sample of professionals in state educational organizations as well as to elementary and secondary school principals, juvenile justice specialists, juvenile and family court judges, police chiefs, and law school deans. Respondents were asked whether they had heard of the various projects, what they thought of LRE in terms of its impact on students and usefulness in the curriculum, whether LRE should be required, what type of publicity had contributed to their awareness of LRE, and the degree of involvement they would be willing to have in promoting or developing LRE programs. In a second component of the study, primary and secondary school students were selected for an impact evaluation of the LRE activities run by the six organizations under evaluation. Questionnaires were administered to students during academic years 1982-1983 (Part 3) and 1983-1984 (Part 4), before and after participating in LRE courses offered by the programs under evaluation. Control students (not taking LRE courses) were also used for the comparisons. The questionnaires tested the knowledge, attitudes (measuring such factors as isolation from school, delinquent peer influence, negative labeling, and attitudes toward violence), and self-reported delinquency of school children. Demographic information collected about the student respondents includes sex, age, race, grade in school, and grade-point average.
Curated
Firearms Violence and the Michigan Felony Firearm Law: Detroit, 1976-1978 (ICPSR 8509)
Released/updated on: 2005-11-04
Geographic coverage: Detroit, United States, Michigan
Time period: 1976-01-01--1978-12-31
The purpose of this study was to estimate the impact of the Michigan Firearm Law on the processing of defendants in Detroit's Recorder's Court. Most variables in the study focus on the defendant and on court processing decisions made at different stages. Special attention was given to determining the presence and use of firearms and other weapons in each offense. Variables included are gender and race of the defendant, original charges, type of counsel, amount of bail, felony firearm charged, number of convictions, race of the victim, firearm used, judge, and sentence.
Curated
Political Participation of Law Students at the State University of Milan, Italy, April 1966 (ICPSR 7303)
Released/updated on: 1992-02-16
Geographic coverage: Milan, Italy, Global
Time period: 1966-04-01--1966-04-30
This study represents the exploratory phase of a larger research project on the patterns of political and associational participation of students of two universities in Milan. The interviews were focused around several sets of questions. The first set assessed the composition, economic conditions, and place of origin of the respondents' parents' families. A second set of questions focused on the respondents as students, their performance in law school, possible changes of field of study, extra-curricular activities at the university, and participation in political and associational groups within and outside the university. Thirdly, the respondents were asked about their views of Italian and foreign political figures, about how they kept informed on political events, and about politics within the university. The fourth group of questions probed the respondents on their career goals and their perspectives on the courts and elicited their interpretation of the law. Finally, the fifth set of questions investigated respondents' religious beliefs, relationships with families and friends, and leisure activities. Demographic variables include sex, birthplace and place of residence, year of study, number of exams taken, parents' levels of education, and family income.