(NewsNation Now) — Below are the full results of a Dec. 9 NewsNation survey commissioned through Decision Desk HQ. The survey is part of NewsNation’s weeklong series getting the facts around holiday crime concerns.
The NewsNation survey asked 1,166 registered voters across the country about their attitudes toward crime during the holiday season. The poll was performed using an online voter panel. Margins of error vary per question because the number of people who answered each question is different (click here to learn more about why margin of error matters).
Read NewsNation’s report on this survey here. Read the results for yourself below.
Question 1: Do you think that things in our country are headed in the right direction, or do you think that things are headed on the wrong track? (margin of error: 2.9%)
- Right track: 34.0%
- Wrong track: 55.6%
- Not sure: 10.4%
Question 2: Have you done any in-person shopping for the holiday season? (margin of error: 2.9%)
- Already shopped in person: 54.3%
- Plan to shop in person: 24.7%
- Don’t plan on shopping in person: 21.0%
Question 3: Which of the following reasons make you less likely to shop in person this year (select all that apply)? (Answered only by those from Question 2 who said they don’t plan to shop in person, margin of error: 6.3%)
- COVID: 39.6%
- Recent wave of retail crime: 6.5%
- Convenience of online shopping: 45.7%
- Something else: 34.3%
Question 4: Have you heard about recent smash-and-grab robberies at malls and retail stores? (margin of error 2.5%)
- Have heard of: 74.0%
- Have not heard of: 26.0%
Question 5: Have recent headlines about retail theft made you feel less safe shopping in person this holiday season, more safe or have they not had an impact either way? (Answered only by those from Question 4 who have heard of smash-and-grab robberies, margin of error: 3.3%)
- Less safe: 48.0%
- More safe: 6.4%
- No impact either way: 45.7%
Question 6: In terms of crime, compared to past holiday seasons do you feel more safe shopping in person, less safe, or has there not been an impact either way? (Answered only by those from Question 4 who have not heard of smash-and-grab robberies, margin of error: 5.6%)
- Less safe: 34.4%
- More safe: 9.3%
- No impact either way: 56.3%
Question 7: Do you think current laws and sentencing guidelines around theft are too soft, too strong or about right? (margin of error: 2.8%)
- Too soft: 62.7%
- Too strong: 9.0%
- About right: 28.4%
Question 8: Do you think suspects in smash-and-grab retail thefts should be released without bail while awaiting trial? (margin of error: 2.3%)
- Yes: 20.9%
- No: 79.1%
Question 9: Have you been a victim of “porch pirates” — thieves who steal shipped packages from your front door when they are dropped off? (margin of error: 2.9%)
- Yes, I have personally had a package stolen: 16.7%
- No, but I know someone who has had a package stolen: 30.5%
- No, and I don’t know anyone who has: 52.8%
Question 10: When thinking about the crime issues we have asked about, do you think they are a problem in your local community, in the country as a whole or neither? (margin of error: 2.9%)
- Problem in both my local community and country as a whole: 49.5%
- Problem in my local community, but not for the country as a whole: 7.2%
- Not a problem in my local community, but is a problem for the country as a whole: 36.6%
- Not a problem in either my local community or the country as a whole: 6.7%
Question 11: Which of the following proposals do you think would best address crime in your community? (margin of error: 2.7%)
- More police presence: 27.4%
- More cameras: 17.7%
- Firmer criminal laws: 34.6%
- More non-policing community resources: 13.8%
- Maintaining the status quo: 6.4%
Question 12: Do you approve or disapprove of the job your lawmakers are doing in addressing crime? (margin of error: 2.6%)
- Strongly approve: 9.2%
- Somewhat approve: 28.1%
- No opinion: 13.3%
- Somewhat disapprove: 25.9%
- Strongly disapprove: 23.5%