Public Polling Shows Strong Support for the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act
Recent public opinion polling shows strong support for hate crimes legislation and the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act/Matthew Shepard Act. Overwhelming majorities have indicated that they think a crime motivated by bias based on a person's sexual orientation or gender identity should be considered a hate crime. The majority support a bill that addresses hate violence directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
The Hart Research Poll: February 2007
From January 31 to February 5, 2007, Hart Research conducted a national survey among 1,002 registered voters on behalf of the Human Rights Campaign. The margin of error for the survey is ±3.1 percentage points for the full sample, and is larger for subgroups of the electorate. The survey’s purpose was to measure voters’ attitudes toward the expansion of the definition of federal hate crimes to include violent crimes against someone based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Hart Research poll showed that 73 percent of voters favor expanding hate crimes definitions to include sexual orientation and gender identity. The poll also found that large majorities of every major subgroup of the electorate — including such traditionally conservative groups as Republican men (56 percent) and evangelical Christians (63 percent) — expressed support for strengthening hate crimes laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Support also crosses racial lines — with three in four whites (74 percent), African-Americans (74 percent) and Latino/as (72 percent) supporting the legislation.
The Gallup Poll: May, 2007
A May 10-13, 2007, national Gallup Poll included questions about federal hate crimes laws. The poll showed that 68 percent of Americans favored expanding hate crimes laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: November 2000
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation conducted two national public opinion surveys and released the results in November 2001. One survey gathered information from self-identified lesbians, gays and bisexuals; the other gauged public opinion on key policy issues with regard to sexual orientation. Among other findings, the poll showed that:
- 74 percent of gay and lesbian respondents report that they have experienced prejudice and discrimination based on their sexual orientation, including 23 percent who say they have experienced "a lot" of discrimination;
- 41 percent believe that more violence is directed towards them today than a few years ago; and
- 32 percent report that they have been the target of physical violence.
The poll also showed that 73 percent of Americans support federal hate crime legislation that includes sexual orientation.
The Gallup Poll: September 2000
By a margin of 65 percent to 31 percent, respondents said they supported "special laws that provide harsher penalties* for crimes motivated by hate of certain groups."
When asked which groups should be covered by such a law, 81 percent of the respondents said racial minorities, 79 percent said religious and ethnic minorities, 78 percent said women, and 72 percent said homosexuals.
*Neither the federal statute currently used to prosecute hate crimes nor the proposed legislation contain penalty enhancement provisions. Both merely allow for federal jurisdiction when necessary to serve as a backstop to state and local law enforcement combating hate crimes.
Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group: Aug. 28-31, 2000
When asked whether they would be more or less likely to support a candidate who did not support legislation to strengthen the prosecution of violent hate crimes motivated by prejudice against the race, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation of the victim — 54 percent of all Republican voters, 63 percent of all independent voters, 66 percent of all suburban voters, 68 percent of all women voters and 66 percent of all voters surveyed …said they are less likely to vote for a candidate who voted against hate crimes legislation.(1,251 voters, margin of error, +/-2.8 percent)
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, MTV: Music Television and Princeton Survey Research Associates: Aug. 9-27, 2000
A national random sample telephone survey of 813 adults ages 18-24 showed that 77 percent favor expanding federal hate crimes laws currently covering "blacks and other minorities" to cover gays and lesbians.
The Feldman Group Inc.: May 1999
An overwhelming majority of Americans, 76 percent, think that crimes motivated by bias based on sexual orientation should be considered hate crimes, according to research by The Feldman Group for the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. This includes 67 percent of Republicans, 70 percent of fundamentalist Christians and 74 percent of evangelical Christians.
Penn, Schoen & Berland: April 1999
More than 90 percent of young people see hate crimes as a serious problem in this country, according to a Penn, Schoen and Berland poll for MTV. Young Americans also don't think enough is being done to prevent hate crimes, and 95 percent of those polled support the idea of expanding current law to cover gender, sexual orientation and disabilities, which the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act would do.
The Gallup Poll: February 1999
Gallup surveyed 1,014 adults nationwide. When asked which groups should be included in hate crimes laws, 75 percent agreed that lesbians and gays should be covered.
Lake, Snell, Perry & Associates/American Viewpoint: Nov. 1998
The Hate Crimes Prevention Act is favored 2-to-1 by a majority of voters, including four in 10 who strongly favor federal hate crimes legislation, according to a post-election poll conducted by Lake, Snell, Perry & Associates and American Viewpoint for the Human Rights Campaign. Fifty-six percent overall favor the hate crimes measure — with 40 percent strongly favoring the legislation — while only 23 percent oppose the measure. The poll also showed that the hate crimes measure attracts strong bipartisan support. Over half of all Republicans surveyed favor the bill, and a strong majority of Democrats — 65 percent — also support it.
CNN/Time Poll: October 1998
Seventy-six percent of Americans favor federal legislation that mandates the same treatment for people who commit crimes against lesbian and gay people out of prejudice as federal law gives to other groups, according to a nationwide poll conducted by CNN/Time magazine. Over 70 percent of Republicans and almost 80 percent of Democrats favor such inclusion.
Dallas Morning News: April 1999
A Dallas Morning News poll of more than 1,000 people showed that 76 percent of Texans favored protection of lesbian and gay people.