Display 0467:  Freshmen Report Attitudes on Issues

From the CIRP Freshman Study*
% of freshmen agreeing "somewhat" or "strongly" with positions on social issues

1995

1998

1999

2000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
SSU USA SSU USA SSU USA SSU USA SSU USA SSU USA SSU USA SSU USA SSU USA SSU USA SSU USA
Percent of freshmen who support issues "somewhat" or "strongly":
Too much concern in courts for rights of criminals . 73 54 73 65 72 60 65 60 65 53 65 54 62 51 61 48 61 45 59 47 58
Abortion should be legal . 58 51 51 50 51 46 53 48 55 53 55 48 54 49 50 51 50 45 54 49 52
Death penalty should be abolished . 21 36 22 35 25 40 33 36 33 39 32 38 31 41 29 43 31 41 32 41 33
Marijuana should be legalized . 33 42 34 37 33 38 36 37 37 51 40 43 40 40 40 47 38 36 37 45 37
Important to have laws prohibiting homosexual relationships . 31 38 35 37 32 41 30 32 26 36 26 44 28 44 36 42 33 44 28 39 27
Racial discrimination is no longer a major problem in America . 18 9 21 13 23 10 21 10 19 13 21 15 22 13 25 16 23 11 19 14 20
Individual can do little to bring about changes in our society . 34 33 33 27 36 28 34 35 31 40 31 34 32 30 32 40 34 28 32 35 32
Wealthy people should pay a larger share of taxes than they do . 69 63 60 57 57 56 52 52 53 48 51 56 54 66 56 60 63 56 59 58 61
Same-sex couples should have right to legal marital status -- -- 41 47 43 52 37 55 47 57 46 59 42 58 39 51 42 52 38 59 45 61
Affirmative action in college admissions should be abolished . 47 -- -- 25 44 31 43 28 40 32 43 28 43 31 43 31 39 26 39 34 38
Fed. military spending should be increased -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 38 44 39 38 39 42 40 37 37 35 43 33
Fed. govt. should do more to control sale of handguns . 81 88 83 94 84 92 87 88 86 84 81 87 80 80 78 81 78 82 75 79 76
Only volunteers should serve in the armed forces -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 58 61 59 62 62 65
Fed. govt. not doing enough to control pollution . 84 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 76 76 76 77 79 79
National health care plan is needed to cover everyone . 72 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 86 80 84 77 82 80
Undocumented immigrants should be denied public education . 34 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 33 39 34 48 42 45
Through hard work everybody can succeed in America -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 78 82 75 80 81 82
Dissent is a critical component of the political process -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 59 55 53 55 49 56
Colleges have right to ban extreme speakers from campus -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 48 45 -- -- 44 40 46 39
Chief benefit of college education is increased earning power -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 77 73 75 72
Fed.govt. should raise taxes to reduce the deficit . 25 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 15 21 19 21
Colleges should prohibit racist/sexist speech on campus . 64 63 63 61 64 64 64 52 61 59 63 59 59 59 58 56 59 -- -- -- --
Activities of married women best confined to the home & family . 25 -- -- 42 31 33 30 30 28 34 27 34 27 36 26 34 26 -- -- -- --
Two people like each other, sex OK in short time relationships . 42 44 39 41 41 37 44 48 44 -- -- -- -- 49 49 48 47 -- -- -- --
Grading in high schools has become too easy -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 34 46 -- -- -- --
People should not obey laws violating their personal values . 37 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 36 37 35 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Fed.govt. should do more to discourage energy consumption -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 69 71 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Employers should drug test employees & applicants . 79 81 80 85 80 81 77 80 76 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
People have right to know about personal lives of public figures -- -- -- -- 20 26 25 26 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Man "led on" by woman not entitled to sex on date . 89 83 87 85 86 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Material on internet should be regulated by govt. -- -- 38 42 40 45 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Better education/job reduce crime . 85 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --