National Survey Shows Strong and Continuing Support for Tough Measures to Prevent Terrorism
March 05 2004 - 9:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
National Survey Shows Strong and Continuing Support for Tough
Measures to Prevent Terrorism * Bush Administration Gets High Marks
for Preventing Terrorist Attacks ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 5
/PRNewswire/ -- The overwhelming majority of Americans continue to
support tough, and even tougher, surveillance measures to prevent
terrorist attacks. Furthermore, the Bush administration gets high
marks for what it has done to prevent new terrorist attacks in the
U.S. Only relatively few people feel that their own privacy has
been threatened. And -- even though the airlines involved have
apologized -- most people have no problem with airlines sharing
information about travelers with federal agencies. For most people,
prevention of terrorism clearly trumps any loss of privacy or other
civil rights. These are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of
1,020 adults surveyed by telephone by Harris Interactive(R) between
February 9 and 16, 2004. Some of the key findings are: * A 70% to
30% majority gives the Bush Administration positive marks on what
it has done to prevent a new terrorist attack. * Only 14% of all
adults feel that the government anti-terrorist program has taken
quite a lot or a great deal of their own personal privacy away. *
By 73% to 20%, a lop-sided majority thinks that the two U.S.
airlines, which provided personal data about the passengers to
federal agencies for government research projects into airline
security, did "the proper thing." However, when asked specifically,
a 57% to 39% majority of the public thinks that the airlines should
have obtained travelers' permission first. Many of the questions in
this survey have been asked on several occasions since the
September 2001 attacks. Most continue to show very strong support
for tough surveillance measures: * 84% continue to favor "stronger
document and physical security checks for travelers." * 85%
continue to support "stronger document and physical security checks
for government and private office buildings." * 80% continue to
support "expanded undercover activity to penetrate groups under
suspicion." * 80% continue to support "the use of facial
recognition technology to scan for suspected terrorists." * 76%
continue to support the "issuance of secure I.D. techniques" for
persons who access government and business computer systems." * 61%
continue to support "expanded camera surveillance on streets and in
public places." There has, however, been some erosion of support
for some law enforcement powers: * Those who favor "expanded
government monitoring of cell phones and email" have fallen to 36%,
with 60% opposed. In February last year, a somewhat larger 44%
minority favored this. * Those who favor "law enforcement
monitoring of Internet discussions" have fallen slightly from 54%
last year to 50% this year. * Those who favor "adoption of a
national I.D. system" have fallen from 64% last year to 56% this
year. * Those who favor "closer monitoring of banking and credit
card transactions" have fallen slightly from 67% to 64%.
Notwithstanding this strong support for tough surveillance
measures, majorities continueto have at least moderate concern that
judges and law enforcement agencies might abuse these powers. But,
given all of the other data in this survey, these concerns seem to
be more theoretical than a response to anything that has actually
happened. Overall, a 76% majority continues to feel confident that
U.S. law enforcement agencies will use their expanded surveillance
powers in a proper way. Commenting on these results, Dr. Alan
Westin of Privacy and American Business noted: "A majority of the
American public continues since 9/11 to hold two equally strong and
somewhat conflicting views: yes, we believe law enforcement should
have a broad range of new or enhanced investigative powers, but we
are worried that these may be abused and that the American system
of institutional controls on law enforcement may not be applied as
they should. The upcoming reconsideration of the Patriot Act in
Congress could be the occasion in which a three-years later
rationalization of these views may be worked out. " Despite rising
levels of political and media criticism, the fact that 70% of the
public feel the Bush Administration has done either an "excellent"
or "pretty good" job of "preventing a [new] terrorist attack" shows
that the Homeland Security Department operations continue to enjoy
strong public support. TABLE 1 RATING BUSH ADMINISTRATION ON
PREVENTING TERRORIST ATTACKS "How would you rate the job that the
Bush Administration has done preventing a terrorist attack in the
United States since September 11, 2001?" Base: All Adults %
Positive 70 Excellent 33 Pretty Good 37 Negative 30 Only fair 20
Poor 10 Not sure 1 Decline to answer * * Less than 0.5%. Note:
Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding. TABLE 2 IMPACT
OF ANTI-TERRORISM PROGRAMS ON OWN PRIVACY "How much do you feel
government anti-terrorist programs have taken your own personal
privacy away since September 11, 2001?" Base: All Adults % A great
deal 8 Quite a lot 6 A moderate amount 22 Only a little 29 None at
all 35 Not sure 1 Decline to answer -- Note: Percentages may not
add up exactly due to rounding. TABLE 3 PROPER FOR AIRLINES TO
SHARE PERSONAL DATA WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES "Recently, two U.S.
Airlines provided personal identifying data about passengers to
federal agencies for government research projects into how
government airline security programs can identify suspected
terrorist. Do you think that the airlines providing these records
was the proper thing to do to assist in research programs to
develop traveler-screening programs?" Base: All Adults % Yes
(proper thing) 73 No 20 Not sure 6 Decline to answer 1 TABLE 4
SHOULD AIRLINES HAVE OBTAINED TRAVELERS' PERMISSION? "Do you think
that the airlines should have obtained each traveler's permission
before providing this data for research purposes?" Base: All Adults
% Yes 57 No 39 Not sure 3 Decline to answer * *Less than 0.5%.
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding. TABLE 5
FAVOR/OPPOSE TEN PROPOSALS FOR INCREASED LAW ENFORCEMENT POWERS
"Here are some increased powers of investigation that law
enforcement agencies might use when dealingwith people suspected of
terrorist activity, which would also affect our civil liberties.
For each, please say if you would favor or oppose it." Base: All
Adults Not Sure/ Decline to % Favor Oppose Answer Stronger document
and physical Feb. 2004 % 84 14 1 security checks for travelers Feb.
2003 % 84 14 1 Mar. 2002 % 89 9 2 Sept. 2001 % 93 6 1 Stronger
document and physical security checks for access to government and
private Feb. 2004 % 85 14 1 office buildings Feb. 2003 % 82 15 2
Mar. 2002 % 89 10 1 Sept. 2001 % 92 7 1 Expanded under-cover
activities to Feb. 2004 % 80 17 3 penetrate groups under suspicion
Feb. 2003 % 81 17 2 Mar.2002 % 88 10 2 Sept. 2001 % 93 5 1 Use of
facial-recognition technology to scan for suspected Feb. 2004 % 80
17 3 terrorists at various locations and public events Feb. 2003 %
77 20 3 Mar. 2002 % 81 17 2 Sept. 2001 % 86 11 2 Issuanceof a
secure I.D. technique for persons to access government and business
computer Feb. 2004 % 76 19 5 systems, to avoid disruptions Feb.
2003 % 75 21 4 Mar. 2002 % 78 16 6 Sept. 2001 % 84 11 4 Closer
monitoring of banking and credit card transactions, to Feb. 2004 %
64 34 3 trace funding sources Feb. 2003 % 67 30 2 Mar. 2002 % 72 25
2 Sept. 2001 % 81 17 2 Adoptionof a national I.D. system for all
U.S. citizens Feb. 2004 % 56 40 4 Feb. 2003 % 64 31 5 Mar. 2002 %
59 37 5 Sept. 2001 % 68 28 4 Expanded camera surveillance on
streets and in public places Feb. 2004 % 61 37 2 Feb. 2003 % 61 37
1 Mar. 2002 % 58 40 2 Sept. 2001 % 63 35 2 Law enforcement
monitoring of Internet discussions in chat Feb. 2004 % 50 45 6
rooms and other forums Feb. 2003 % 54 42 4 Mar. 2002 % 55 41 4
Sept. 2001 % 63 32 5 Expanded government monitoring of cell phones
and email, to Feb. 2004 % 36 60 4 intercept communications Feb.
2003 % 44 53 4 Mar. 2002 % 44 51 4 Sept. 2001 % 54 41 4 Note:
Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding. TABLE 6 LEVELS
OF CONCERN ABOUT SEVEN POTENTIAL ABUSES OF POWER "Now, here are
some concerns that people might have about the way these increased
powers might be used by law enforcement. Would you say you have
high concern, moderate concern, not much concern, or no concern at
all abouteach of the following possibilities? Base: All Adults Not
Sure/ TOTAL Not No Decline CONCERN High Moderate Much Concern to
(High + Concern Concern Concern at All Answer Moderate) Judges who
authorize investigations, would not look closely enough at % Feb 42
36 12 8 2 78 the justification 2004 of that surveillance % Oct 44
35 11 7 2 79 2001 Congress would not include adequate safeguards
for % Feb 40 35 14 7 4 75 civil liberties 2004 when authorizing
these increased powers % Oct 39 39 12 8 2 78 2001 There would be
broad profiling of people and searching them based on their % Feb
42 31 13 13 1 73 nationality, race or 2004 religion % Oct 44 33 11
10 1 78 2001 The mail, telephone, emails or cell phone calls of
innocent % Feb 47 29 13 10 1 76 people would be 2004 checked % Oct
45 27 13 14 1 72 2001 Non-violent critics of government policies
would Feb have their mail, % 2004 40 36 13 11 1 76 telephone,
emails or cell phone calls checked % Oct 38 33 14 14 * 71 2001 Law
enforcement would investigate % Feb 27 40 18 13 1 67 legitimate
2004 political and social groups % Oct 32 36 16 15 1 68 2001 New
surveillance powers would be used to investigate % Feb 35 36 16 11
1 71 crimes other than 2004 terrorism % Oct 32 35 15 16 1 68 2001
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding. TABLE 7
CONFIDENCE THAT SURVEILLANCE POWERS IN PROPER WAY "Overall, how
confident do you feel that U.S. law enforcement will use its
expanded surveillance powers in what you would see as a proper way,
under the circumstances of terrorist threats? Would you say very
confident, somewhat confident, not very confident, not confident at
all?" Base: All Adults Sept. March February February 2001 2002 2003
2004 % % % % Very confident 34 12 22 23 Somewhat confident 53 61 52
53 Not very confident 8 17 1415 Not confident at all 4 6 9 9 Not
sure/Decline to answer 1 3 2 1 Note: Percentages may not add up
exactly due to rounding. Methodology The Harris Poll(R) was
conducted by telephone within the United States between February 9
and 16, 2004 among a nationwide cross section of 1,020 adults (ages
18+). Figures for age, sex, race, education, number of adults and
number of voice/telephone lines in the householdwere weighted where
necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the
population. In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one
can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a
statistical precision of plus or minus 3 percentage points of what
they would be if the entire adult population had been polled with
complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible
sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more
serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They
include refusals to be interviewed (non-response), question wording
and question order, interviewer bias, weighting by demographic
control data and screening (e.g., for likely voters). It is
impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these
factors. These statements conform to the principles of disclosure
of the National Council on Public Polls. About Harris
Interactive(R) Harris Interactive
(http://www.harrisinteractive.com/) is a worldwide market
researchand consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll(R), and
for pioneering the Internet method to conduct scientifically
accurate market research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York,
U.S.A., Harris Interactive combines proprietary methodologies and
technology with expertise in predictive, custom and strategic
research. The Company conducts international research through
wholly owned subsidiaries-London-based HI Europe
(http://www.hieurope.com/) and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive
Japan-as well as through the Harris Interactive Global Network of
local market- and opinion-research firms, and various U.S. offices.
EOE M/F/D/V To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be
invited to participate in future online surveys, visit
http://www.harrispollonline.com/. Press Contact: Nancy Wong Harris
Interactive 585-214-7316 DATASOURCE: Harris Interactive CONTACT:
Nancy Wong of Harris Interactive, +1-585-214-7316, Web site:
http://www.harrispollonline.com/ http://www.hieurope.com/
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/
Copyright