The new NPR-Ipsos poll indicates that people are worried about crime. "It's a pretty widely held belief," says the global polling firm's vice president Mallory Newall. "Around seven in ten Americans say that the level of crime and violence in American cities is at an unacceptable level." Crime overall, including violent crime, is down significantly from pandemic-era highs across the U.S.
According to a poll the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy published Thursday, 47 percent of 1,030 Americans surveyed said they have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in higher education institutions, with a net positive rating of 33-up 13 percentage points since 2023. Survey respondents reported more confidence in higher education than in the police (44 percent), the medical system (38 percent) and large tech companies (25 percent).
According to the poll, just 42% of adults approved of Kennedy's performance compared to 55% who disapprove. Among registered voters, the gap widens slightly to 42 and 57, respectively. Predictably, those numbers saw extreme variations among party lines. Among Democrats, just 13% approved compared to a staggering 86% who disapproved. Of the 86% who disapproved, 71% said they strongly disapproved of Kennedy's job thus far.