CBS NEWS POLL

The Deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner: The Police, the Use of Force, and Race
December 6-9, 2014
Q1. Do you think race relations in the United States are generally good or generally bad?
*TOTAL RESPONDENTS*
Total
White Black
Aug14b
%
Generally good
47
Generally bad
44
Don't know/No answer
10

45

47

34

43

42

54

13

11

12

Q2. Do you think race relations in the United States are getting better, getting worse or staying about the same?
Getting better
Getting worse
Staying the same
Don't know/No answer

22
36
40
2

22
36
40
2

11
46
41
2

Q3. Do you think race relations in your community are generally good or generally bad?
Generally good
78
Generally bad
18
Don't know/No answer
4

78

80

66

17

14

28

Q4. How would you rate the job your local police are doing in controlling crime in your community--excellent,
good, fair, or poor?

Jul12a
Excellent
23
Good
45
Fair
23
Poor
8
Don't know/No answer
1

25

28

38

41

30

24

19

39

11

22

Q5. How would you describe your feelings about the police in your community? Would you say make you feel
mostly safe or mostly anxious?

Mostly safe
Mostly anxious
Don't know/No answer

75
22
3

80
18
2

52
43
6

Q10. In general, do you think the police are too quick to use deadly force, or do they typically only use deadly
force when necessary?
Too quick to use deadly force
Only use deadly force when necessary
Don't know/No answer

35
59
6

28
65
6

74
22
4

Q10a. In general, do you think most police officers need better training on how to handle confrontations with
civilians, or do most police officers have the appropriate training in dealing with that already?
Better training
Already have appropriate training
Don't know/No answer

61
35
4

59
36
5

85
14
1

Q11. In general, do you think local police forces should have military weapons and vehicles such as assault rifles
and armored vehicles or should these kinds of weapons be reserved only for the military and national guard?
*TOTAL RESPONDENTS*
Total
White Black
Aug14b*
%

%
Police

30
33
26
Only for military and national guard
65
61
68
Don't know/No answer
5
6
6
*Wording change: tanks instead of armored vehicles

%
14
83
3

Q12. Do you favor or oppose on-duty police officers wearing video cameras which would record events and actions
as they occur?
Favor
Oppose
Don't know/No answer

91
8
2

91
8
2

90
9
1

Q12A. Generally, do you think local district attorneys should handle cases involving the police and civilian deaths,
or do you think these cases should be handled by an independent prosecutor?
Local District Attorney
Independent prosecutor
Don't know/No answer

39
49
12

39
47
14

35
62
3

Q6. In general, do you think police officers stop people of certain racial or ethnic groups because they believe that
these groups are more likely than others to commit certain types of crimes, or dont you think this happens?
Stop people of certain backgrounds
Doesn't happen

65
28

61
33

88
8

Don't know/No answer

Q7. Was there ever a specific instance when you felt discriminated against by the police because of your race or
ethnic background?
Yes

18

10

54

81

90

46

16
No
83
Don't know/No answer
1

Q8. Do you think the racial makeup of a communitys police department should be similar to the racial makeup of
that community as a whole, or don't you think that's necessary?
Should be similar in racial make-up
46
No, that's not necessary
50
Don't know/No answer
4

51

48

63

44

46

34

Q9. In general, do you think the police in most communities are more likely to use deadly force against a black
person, or more likely to use deadly force against a white person, or dont you think race affects police use of
deadly force?
More likely against a black person
37
More likely against a white person
1
Race does not affect use of deadly force
50
Don't know/No answer
11

40

33

84

51

57

10

Q13. How much have you heard or read about a grand jurys decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in
the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri a lot, some or not much?

A lot
Some
Not much
Nothing at all
Don't know/No answer

*TOTAL RESPONDENTS*
Total
White Black
%
%
%
62
61
72
20
20
17
16
16
10
2
2
1
1
1
*

Q14. From what you know, do you think the shooting of Michael Brown by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson
was justified, or not justified, or dont you know enough to say?

Aug14b*
%
Justified
36
43
9
Not justified
25
20
25
Don't know enough to say
36
35
64
Don't know/No answer
2
2
2
*Wording change: by police in Ferguson was justified

6
64
29
*

Q15. How do you feel about a grand jury's decision to not indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the
shooting death of Michael Brown --are you pleased, satisfied but not pleased, disappointed but not angry, or
angry?
Pleased
Satisfied but not pleased
Disappointed but not angry
Angry
Don't know/No answer

19
26
28
13
14

22
29
22
11
15

4
9
55
27
5

Q16. Do you think race was a major factor, a minor factor or not a factor in the death of Michael Brown?
Major
Minor
Not a factor
Don't know/No answer

29
20
41
10

22
20
48
10

75
13
9
3

Q17. How much have you heard or read about a grand jurys decision not to indict police officer Daniel Pantaleo in
the death of Eric Garner in Staten island, New York a lot, some or not much?
A lot
Some
Not much
Nothing at all

39
26
29
4

37
28
28
4

57
21
20
2

Don't know/No answer

Q18. From what you know, do you think the use of force by New York City police officers in the arrest of Eric
Garner was justified, or not justified, or dont you know enough to say?
*TOTAL RESPONDENTS*
Total
White Black
%
%
%
12
14
3
41
38
68
45
46
29
2
1
1

Justified
Not justified
Don't know enough to say
Don't know/No answer

Q19. How do you feel about a grand jury's decision to not indict New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo in the
death of Eric Garner --are you pleased, satisfied but not pleased, disappointed but not angry, or angry?
Pleased
Satisfied but not pleased
Disappointed but not angry
Angry
Don't know/No answer

7
17
35
19
23

8
19
32
17
23

1
8
51
36
5

Q20. Do you think race was a major factor, a minor factor or not a factor in the death of Eric Garner?
Major
Minor
Not a factor
Don't know/No answer

29
16
36
19

23
15
41
21

66
17
13
4

Q21. How would you describe the racial and ethnic makeup of the neighborhood where you live? Would you say it
is mostly white, mostly black, mostly Hispanic, mostly some other ethnic or racial group, or would you say the
racial and ethnic makeup is mixed?
Mostly white
Mostly black
Mostly Hispanic
Mostly other
Mixed
Don't know/No answer

35
7
6
1
50
1

41
4
6
1
47
1

22
20
3
*
55
*

Unweighted
1,122

Weighted

Total Respondents

Margin of error
3pts

Whites
Blacks

698
287

809
125

5pts
8pts