Poll: 85 Percent of Voters Say Crime Is a 'Serious' Problem in America

The vast majority of registered American voters say crime is a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem in the United States, a new survey reveals.

A Huffington Post/YouGov survey of 1,000 U. S. adults shows huge public concern over a crime wave hitting major U.S. cities such as New York City, Milwaukee, Portland, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Atlanta.

Of those registered to vote, about 85 percent said crime is a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem across the nation — including 83 percent of black Americans, 85 percent of white Americans, and 79 percent of Hispanic Americans.

The issue cuts across party lines, with about 81 percent of Democrat voters saying crime is a “serious” issue at the moment, along with 80 percent of swing voters and 90 percent of Republicans.

As has been found in polling and surveys for decades, the issue of crime is more related to class than race in the U. S. For instance, while the overwhelming majority of all racial groups agree that crime is a serious problem, voters who are wealthy are vastly less likely to call crime a “very serious” problem.

Just 37 percent of Americans earning $100,000 or more a year say crime is a “very serious” problem. In contrast, those earning $50,000 or less a year — the working poor, working class, and lower-middle-class — say by a 47 percent plurality that crime... (Read more)

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