NCJ Number
171715
Date Published
1998
Length
140 pages
Annotation
The findings of surveys and focus groups conducted by the Pew Research Center indicate that Americans continue to distrust government, although there are signs that hostility toward government has begun to diminish, and that distrust of government is strongly connected to how people feel about the overall state of the Nation.
Abstract
Even though personal satisfaction is increasing, the economy is thriving, and confidence in State and local governments is growing, only 20 percent of Americans are highly satisfied with the state of the Nation and only 34 percent trust government. Americans are concerned about the moral health of society and the honesty of elected officials. Further, disappointment with political leaders and the way government performs its duties are public concerns. Distrust of government and discontent with the country notwithstanding, there is no indication these attitudes are near a crisis stage. Public desire for government services and activism has remained steady over the past 30 years, and distrust of government is not fostering a significant disregard for laws, eroding patriotism, or discouraging government service. Most Americans describe themselves as frustrated with government, not angry at it. Survey and focus group findings are detailed with respect to general and specific measures of trust, the mood of the country, evaluations of government leadership, government performance, the role of government, and government priorities. American attitudes are compared with European attitudes toward government. Supplemental information on variables used to assess public opinion is appended, and questionnaires are included. Tables and figures