GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup's annual Crime survey finds that Americans, when asked how much they worry about 11 different crimes, say they most frequently worried about their home being burglarized when they are not there. Americans also regularly express concern about having their car stolen or broken into, being a victim of terrorism, and having their school-aged children physically harmed at school. The public's concern about children being harmed at school reached a new high this year, undoubtedly due to the recent school shootings across the country. Americans' worries about burglaries when they are home and terrorism are also up substantially this year.
Overall Results
The poll, conducted Oct. 9-12, asked Americans if they worried about each of 11 different types of crimes frequently, occasionally, rarely, or never.
|
Americans' Crime Worries
Oct. 9-12, 2006
(sorted by percent saying "frequently" or "occasionally")
|
|
Frequently
|
Frequently/ occasionally
|
Rarely/ never
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
Your home being burglarized when you are not there
|
21
|
50
|
50
|
|
Having your car stolen or broken into
|
17
|
47
|
51
|
|
Being the victim of terrorism
|
19
|
44
|
56
|
|
Having a school-aged child physically harmed attending school
|
20
|
40
|
35
|
|
Your home being burglarized when you are there
|
10
|
33
|
67
|
|
Getting mugged
|
9
|
33
|
66
|
|
Being attacked while driving your car
|
9
|
26
|
72
|
|
Being sexually assaulted
|
6
|
21
|
78
|
|
Getting murdered
|
6
|
20
|
79
|
|
Being a victim of a hate crime
|
7
|
18
|
81
|
|
Being assaulted/killed by a co-worker/employee where you work
|
3
|
8
|
78
|
Americans' top crime concern is having their home burglarized when they are not there, with half of Americans saying they frequently (21%) or occasionally (29%) worry about this type of crime. Following next on the list are having a car stolen or broken into (47% frequently or occasionally worry), being a victim of terrorism (44%), and having a school-aged child physically harmed at school (40%).
Five types of crime rank in the middle of the list of crime worries, including having one's home burglarized when present in the home (33%), getting mugged (33%), being attacked while driving a car (26%), being sexually assaulted (21%), and getting murdered (20%).
Americans express less frequent worry about being a victim of a hate crime, with 18% saying they frequently or occasionally worry about this, and express the least concern about being assaulted or killed by a co-worker or employee in the workplace, at only 8%.
Year-to-Year Changes
Over the past year, Americans have grown significantly more concerned about 7 of the 11 crimes listed in the survey, while the other four showed slight increases within the survey's margin of error. Concern about five of the crimes has reached its highest level in the eyes of the American public since Gallup first asked the question in 2000.
|
Americans' Crime Worries: Year-to-Year Changes
Oct. 9-12, 2006
(based on the percent saying "frequently" or "occasionally")
|
|
2005
|
2006
|
Change
|
High point
|
Low point
|
|
%
|
%
|
|
%
|
%
|
|
Having a school-aged child physically harmed attending school
|
29
|
40
|
+11
|
40
|
29
|
|
Your home being burglarized when you are there
|
24
|
33
|
+9
|
33
|
22
|
|
Being the victim of terrorism
|
38
|
44
|
+6
|
47
|
38
|
|
Your home being burglarized when you are not there
|
45
|
50
|
+5
|
50
|
40
|
|
Having your car stolen or broken into
|
42
|
47
|
+5
|
48
|
41
|
|
Getting mugged
|
28
|
33
|
+5
|
33
|
23
|
|
Getting murdered
|
15
|
20
|
+5
|
20
|
13
|
|
Being attacked while driving your car
|
22
|
26
|
+4
|
29
|
21
|
|
Being sexually assaulted
|
19
|
21
|
+2
|
23
|
18
|
|
Being assaulted/killed by a co-worker/ employee where you work
|
6
|
8
|
+2
|
9
|
5
|
|
Being a victim of a hate crime
|
17
|
18
|
+1
|
18
|
13
|
With the recent incidences of school shootings in the country, most notably at a one room Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania, it is not surprising that Gallup finds a spike in Americans' worries about school-aged children being physically harmed at school. Forty percent of Americans say they frequently or occasionally worry about this type of crime, up 11 points from 29% in 2005 and now at the highest level Gallup has measured in the past six years.
On a relative basis, anxiety about children being harmed can be considered the top crime concern for Americans, given that most U.S. adults do not have school-aged children. Among parents of children age 18 and under, 59% say they worry frequently or occasionally about their child being harmed at school, while concern about having their home burglarized when they are not there is next, at 52%.
There has also been a substantial nine-point increase (from 24% in 2005 to 33% now) in Americans' concerns about their home being burglarized when they are in the home. This is now the highest level of concern found on this particular crime, although it is not much different from the 2000 results. The low point came in 2001 when only 22% said they frequently or occasionally worry about this.
Terrorism concerns are also up this year, from 38% last year to 44% this year. Concerns about terrorism were slightly higher following the 9/11 attacks, when 47% said they frequently or occasionally worried about terrorism in October 2001. Concerns were lowest in 2003 and 2005, when 38% said they were worried.
The latest poll also finds a modest five-point increase over the past year in concerns about homes being burglarized when the owners are not present (up from 45% to 50%), having a car stolen or broken into (up from 42% to 47%), getting mugged (up from 28% to 33%), and getting murdered (up from 15% to 20%). Concerns about having one's home burglarized when not there, getting mugged, and getting murdered are all now at their highest points since Gallup first asked the question.
Men vs. Women
Women are more likely than men to say they frequently or occasionally worry about each of the crimes listed in the survey, with the exceptions of being attacked or killed by a co-worker or being a victim of a hate crime, both of which men and women express equal levels of concern.
|
Americans' Crime Worries among Men and Women
Oct. 9-12, 2006
(sorted by percent saying "frequently" or "occasionally")
|
|
Men
|
Women
|
Difference
(Men minus women)
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
Being sexually assaulted
|
7
|
34
|
-27
|
|
Getting mugged
|
23
|
42
|
-19
|
|
Being the victim of terrorism
|
37
|
51
|
-15
|
|
Your home being burglarized when you are there
|
26
|
38
|
-12
|
|
Getting murdered
|
15
|
26
|
-11
|
|
Having a school-aged child physically harmed attending school
|
35
|
46
|
-11
|
|
Being attacked while driving your car
|
21
|
31
|
-10
|
|
Your home being burglarized when you are not there
|
45
|
54
|
-9
|
|
Having your car stolen or broken into
|
42
|
51
|
-9
|
|
Being a victim of a hate crime
|
17
|
19
|
-2
|
|
Being assaulted/killed by a co-worker/employee where you work
|
8
|
8
|
0
|
The largest difference between men and women involves being sexual assaulted, with 34% of women worrying about this compared with just 7% of men. There are also significant differences in concerns about getting mugged (42% among women vs. 23% among men), being a victim of terrorism (51% vs. 37%), having one's home burglarized when present in the home (38% vs. 26%), getting murdered (26% vs. 15%), having children harmed at school (46% vs. 35%), and being attacked while driving a car (31% vs. 21%). There are more modest differences in having one's one burglarized when not there (54% vs. 45%) and having one's car stolen or broken into (51% vs. 42%).
Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,001 national adults, aged 18+, conducted October 9-12, 2006. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
16. How often do you, yourself, worry about the following things -- frequently, occasionally, rarely or never? How about -- [ITEMS A-H ROTATED, THEN ITEM I READ]?
A. Getting murdered
|
Frequently
|
Occasionally
|
Rarely
|
Never
|
Doesn't apply (vol.)
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
6
|
14
|
35
|
44
|
*
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
5
|
10
|
31
|
53
|
*
|
1
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
6
|
10
|
29
|
55
|
*
|
*
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
6
|
12
|
30
|
52
|
*
|
--
|
|
2002 Oct 14-17
|
6
|
11
|
30
|
53
|
*
|
*
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
4
|
9
|
31
|
56
|
*
|
*
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5
|
6
|
12
|
31
|
51
|
*
|
*
|
|
* = less than 0.5%
|
B. Getting mugged
|
Frequently
|
Occasionally
|
Rarely
|
Never
|
Doesn't apply (vol.)
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
9
|
24
|
33
|
33
|
*
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
7
|
21
|
35
|
37
|
*
|
--
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
9
|
18
|
35
|
38
|
--
|
*
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
9
|
19
|
35
|
37
|
*
|
--
|
|
2002 Oct 14-17
|
8
|
18
|
33
|
40
|
*
|
1
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
6
|
17
|
36
|
41
|
*
|
*
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5
|
9
|
21
|
33
|
36
|
1
|
*
|
|
* = less than 0.5%
|
C. Your home being burglarized when you are not there
|
Frequently
|
Occasionally
|
Rarely
|
Never
|
Doesn't apply (vol.)
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
21
|
29
|
33
|
17
|
*
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
15
|
30
|
30
|
25
|
*
|
*
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
12
|
29
|
35
|
24
|
--
|
*
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
17
|
31
|
31
|
21
|
--
|
*
|
|
2002 Oct 14-17
|
15
|
30
|
30
|
25
|
*
|
*
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
12
|
28
|
33
|
26
|
*
|
1
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5
|
16
|
32
|
28
|
24
|
0
|
*
|
|
* = less than 0.5%
|
D. Your home being burglarized when you are there
|
Frequently
|
Occasionally
|
Rarely
|
Never
|
Doesn't apply (vol.)
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
10
|
23
|
34
|
33
|
--
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
8
|
16
|
31
|
45
|
--
|
*
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
8
|
16
|
34
|
42
|
--
|
*
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
10
|
20
|
30
|
40
|
*
|
*
|
|
2002 Oct 14-17
|
9
|
18
|
32
|
40
|
1
|
*
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
6
|
16
|
33
|
45
|
*
|
*
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5
|
10
|
21
|
30
|
39
|
*
|
--
|
|
* = less than 0.5%
|
E. Being sexually assaulted
|
Frequently
|
Occasionally
|
Rarely
|
Never
|
Doesn't apply (vol.)
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
6
|
15
|
30
|
48
|
*
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
6
|
13
|
29
|
52
|
*
|
*
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
6
|
14
|
27
|
53
|
*
|
*
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
9
|
14
|
27
|
50
|
*
|
*
|
|
2002 Oct 14-17
|
6
|
12
|
26
|
55
|
1
|
0
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
4
|
15
|
24
|
57
|
*
|
*
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 ^
|
7
|
16
|
24
|
52
|
1
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
^ WORDING: Being raped or sexually assaulted
|
|
* = less than 0.5%
|
F. Having your car stolen or broken into
|
Frequently
|
Occasionally
|
Rarely
|
Never
|
Doesn't apply (vol.)
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
17
|
30
|
33
|
18
|
2
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
16
|
26
|
30
|
25
|
3
|
*
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
12
|
29
|
31
|
25
|
3
|
--
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
17
|
28
|
31
|
22
|
2
|
*
|
|
2002 Oct 14-17
|
16
|
28
|
28
|
24
|
4
|
*
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
14
|
27
|
30
|
26
|
3
|
*
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5
|
16
|
32
|
26
|
24
|
2
|
*
|
|
* = less than 0.5%
|
G. Being assaulted or killed by a co-worker or other employee where you work
|
Frequently
|
Occasionally
|
Rarely
|
Never
|
Doesn't apply (vol.)
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
3
|
5
|
17
|
61
|
14
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
2
|
4
|
18
|
64
|
12
|
*
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
1
|
4
|
16
|
67
|
12
|
*
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
3
|
6
|
20
|
56
|
15
|
*
|
|
2002 Oct 14-17
|
2
|
4
|
18
|
61
|
14
|
1
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
2
|
5
|
18
|
62
|
13
|
*
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5
|
1
|
6
|
18
|
62
|
12
|
1
|
|
* = less than 0.5%
|
H. Having a school-aged child of yours physically harmed while attending school
|
Frequently
|
Occasionally
|
Rarely
|
Never
|
Doesn't apply (vol.)
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
20
|
20
|
18
|
17
|
24
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
14
|
15
|
18
|
24
|
29
|
*
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
14
|
16
|
20
|
24
|
25
|
1
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
17
|
18
|
16
|
23
|
25
|
1
|
|
2002 Oct 14-17
|
14
|
15
|
21
|
20
|
30
|
*
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
13
|
18
|
18
|
23
|
28
|
*
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5
|
17
|
17
|
17
|
22
|
27
|
*
|
|
* = less than 0.5%
|
I. Being attacked while driving your car
|
Frequently
|
Occasionally
|
Rarely
|
Never
|
Doesn't apply (vol.)
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
9
|
17
|
34
|
38
|
2
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
6
|
16
|
31
|
44
|
3
|
*
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
7
|
16
|
32
|
42
|
3
|
*
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
8
|
18
|
32
|
38
|
4
|
*
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
6
|
15
|
29
|
46
|
4
|
*
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5
|
9
|
20
|
29
|
40
|
2
|
*
|
|
* = less than 0.5%
|
J. Being the victim of a hate crime
|
Frequently
|
Occasionally
|
Rarely
|
Never
|
Doesn't apply (vol.)
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
7
|
11
|
29
|
52
|
*
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
6
|
11
|
24
|
58
|
1
|
*
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
6
|
10
|
24
|
59
|
*
|
1
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
5
|
12
|
29
|
54
|
*
|
--
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
5
|
8
|
26
|
60
|
*
|
1
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5
|
6
|
10
|
26
|
56
|
1
|
1
|
|
* = less than 0.5%
|
K. Being a victim of terrorism
|
Frequently
|
Occasionally
|
Rarely
|
Never
|
Doesn't apply (vol.)
|
No
opinion
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
19
|
25
|
28
|
28
|
*
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
14
|
24
|
30
|
32
|
--
|
*
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
12
|
27
|
30
|
31
|
--
|
*
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
13
|
25
|
30
|
32
|
--
|
*
|
|
2002 Oct 14-17
|
14
|
26
|
28
|
31
|
*
|
1
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
21
|
26
|
28
|
25
|
*
|
*
|
|
* = less than 0.5%
|
