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Table 7 Justification for political violence for 8 additional specific objectives*

From: Trends in views of democracy and society and support for political violence in the USA, 2022–2024: findings from a nationally representative survey

What do you think about the use of force or violence in the

following situations?

2022 Respondents (n= 12,947)

2023 Respondents (n=9385)

2024 Respondents (n=8896)

Mean Difference†, 2022-2023

Mean Difference†, 2023-2024

Unweighted n

Weighted % (95% CI) Mean score (95% CI)

Unweighted n

Weighted % (95% CI) Mean score (95% CI)

Unweighted n

Weighted % (95% CI) Mean score (95% CI)

Unweighted n

Weighted % (95% CI) Mean score (95% CI)

Unweighted n

Weighted % (95% CI) Mean score (95% CI)

To stop voter fraud‡

          

 Never justified (1)

4772

73.3 (71.9, 74.7)

7180

77.2 (76.0, 78.4)

6762

77.2 (76.0, 78.4)

4697

3.1 (1.2, 4.9)

8109

− 0.3 (− 1.7, 1.1)

 Sometimes justified (2)

1023

16.3 (15.2, 17.5)

1292

13.4 (12.4, 14.4)

1328

14.4 (13.4, 15.4)

4697

− 2.5 (− 4.4, − 0.6)

8109

1.1 (− 0.2, 2.4)

 Usually or always justified (3)

624

9.4 (8.5, 10.4)

798

8.5 (7.8, 9.4)

703

7.7 (7.0, 8.5)

4697

− 0.7 (− 2.1, 0.7)

8109

− 0.8 (− 1.7, 0.2)

 Non-response

43

1.0 (0.7, 1.4)

68

0.9 (0.7, 1.2)

45

0.7 (0.5, 1.0)

4697

− 0.1(− 0.3, 0.5)

8109

0.0 (− 0.3, 0.2)

 Item score§

6419

1.35 (1.33, 1.38)

9270

1.31 (1.29, 1.32)

8793

1.30 (1.28, 1.32)

4650

− 0.038 (− 0.065, − 0.011)

8044

− 0.004 (− 0.024, 0.015)

 To stop voter intimidation‡

          

 Never justified (1)

3847

61.2 (59.7, 62.7)

6478

70.4 (69.1, 71.7)

5997

68.9 (67.5, 70.2)

4641

8.4 (6.2, 10.6)

8109

− 2.1 (− 3.6, − 0.6)

 Sometimes justified (2)

1903

27.9 (26.5, 29.3)

2050

20.8 (19.7, 22.0)

2129

22.9 (21.7, 24.1)

4641

− 7.1 (− 9.2, − 4.9)

8109

2.5 (1.1, 4.0)

 Usually or always justified (3)

705

10.3 (9.3, 11.3)

742

7.8 (7.1, 8.6)

658

7.5 (6.7, 8.3)

4641

− 2.1 (− 3.6, − 0.6)

8109

− 0.4 (− 1.4, 0.5)

 Non-response

30

0.6 (0.4, 1.0)

68

0.9 (0.7, 1.3)

54

0.8 (0.5, 1.1)

4641

0.8 (0.3, 1.2)

8109

0.0 (− 0.2, 0.3)

 Item score§

6455

1.49 (1.47, 1.51)

9270

1.37 (1.35, 1.39)

8784

1.38 (1.36, 1.40)

4597

− 0.113 (− 0.143, − 0.082)

8039

0.018 (− 0.003, 0.038)

To stop police violence‡

          

 Never justified (1)

3114

45.5 (43.9, 47.1)

5493

57.7 (56.3, 59.0)

4934

55.3 (53.9, 56.8)

4666

10.9 (8.6, 13.2)

8109

− 2.2 (− 3.9, − 0.6)

 Sometimes justified (2)

2580

41.0 (39.5, 42.6)

2970

31.5 (30.2, 32.8)

3064

33.8 (32.4, 35.1)

4666

− 8.2 (− 10.6, − 5.8)

8109

1.8 (0.2, 3.5)

 Usually or always justified (3)

731

12.7 (11.7, 13.9)

807

9.9 (9.1, 10.9)

786

10.1 (9.2, 11.1)

4666

− 3.0 (− 4.5, − 1.5)

8109

0.4 (− 0.8, 1.5)

 Non-response

37

0.8 (0.5, 1.1)

68

0.9 (0.7, 1.3)

54

0.8 (0.5, 1.1)

4666

0.3 (0.0, 0.6)

8109

0.0 (− 0.2, 0.3)

 Item score§

6425

1.67 (1.65, 1.69)

9270

1.52 (1.50, 1.54)

8784

1.54 (1.52, 1.56)

4619

− 0.141 (− 0.171, − 0.111)

8042

0.027 (0.005, 0.050)

 To reinforce the police‡

          

 Never justified (1)

2377

42.2 (40.6, 43.8)

4851

58.2 (56.9, 59.6)

4346

56.5 (55.1, 57.9)

4672

14.9 (12.7, 17.1)

8109

− 1.9 (− 3.5, − 0.3)

 Sometimes justified (2)

2661

38.7 (37.2, 40.2)

3279

29.8 (28.6, 31.1)

3238

31.5 (30.2, 32.8)

4672

− 7.8 (− 10.1, − 5.5)

8109

1.3 (− 0.3, 2.9)

 Usually or always justified (3)

1404

18.3 (17.2, 19.5)

1139

11.0 (10.2, 11.9)

1200

11.3 (10.4, 12.1)

4672

− 7.8 (− 9.4, − 6.2)

8109

0.5 (− 0.6, 1.5)

 Non-response

43

0.9 (0.6, 1.2)

69

0.9 (0.7, 1.3)

54

0.8 (0.5, 1.1)

4672

0.7 (0.2, 1.2)

8109

0.1 (− 0.2, 0.4)

 Item score§

6442

1.76 (1.74, 1.78)

9269

1.52 (1.50, 1.54)

8784

1.54 (1.53, 1.56)

4619

− 0.231 (− 0.262, − 0.200)

8039

0.025 (0.003, 0.046)

 To stop illegal immigration‡

          

 Never justified (1)

3733

61.0 (59.4, 62.5)

5757

65.7 (64.3, 66.9)

5204

63.3 (62.0, 64.7)

4658

3.7 (1.7, 5.7)

8109

− 2.5 (− 3.9, − 1.0)

 Sometimes justified (2)

1819

26.5 (25.1, 27.9)

2341

22.3 (21.2, 23.5)

2249

22.8 (21.7, 24.0)

4658

− 5.1 (− 7.1, − 3.0)

8109

0.2 (− 1.3, 1.6)

 Usually or always justified (3)

858

11.5 (10.6, 12.6)

1174

11.1 (10.3, 12.0)

1339

13.0 (12.1, 14.0)

4658

1.1 (− 0.5, 2.6)

8109

2.2 (1.2, 3.3)

 Non-response

39

1.0 (0.7, 1.5)

66

0.9 (0.7, 1.3)

46

0.8 (0.6, 1.2)

4658

0.3 (− 0.1, 0.6)

8109

0.1 (− 0.2, 0.4)

 Item score§

6410

1.50 (1.48, 1.52)

9272

1.45 (1.43, 1.47)

8792

1.49 (1.47, 1.51)

4615

− 0.028 (− 0.057, 0.002)

8044

0.046 (0.026, 0.067)

To keep borders open‡

          

 Never justified (1)

4401

66.2 (64.7, 67.7)

7477

78.0 (76.8, 79.2)

7107

79.1 (77.9, 80.3)

4658

11.4 (9.3, 13.5)

8109

0.7 (− 0.7, 2.1)

 Sometimes justified (2)

1535

24.9 (23.5, 26.3)

1295

14.9 (13.9, 15.9)

1187

14.0 (13.0, 15.0)

4658

− 9.1 (− 11.2, − 7.0)

8109

− 1.1 (− 2.4, 0.2)

 Usually or always justified (3)

518

8.2 (7.3, 9.1)

495

6.1 (5.5, 6.9)

491

5.9 (5.3, 6.7)

4658

− 2.6 (− 3.9, − 1.3)

8109

0.2 (− 0.7, 1.1)

 Non-response

44

0.7 (0.5, 1.0)

71

0.9 (0.7, 1.3)

53

1.0 (0.7, 1.4)

4658

0.3 (− 0.1, 0.8)

8109

0.2 (− 0.2, 0.5)

 Item score§

6454

1.42 (1.39, 1.44)

9267

1.27 (1.26, 1.29)

8785

1.26 (1.24, 1.28)

4624

− 0.143 (− 0.171, − 0.115)

8040

− 0.006 (− 0.025, 0.013)

To stop a protest‡

          

 Never justified (1)

3682

57.8 (56.2, 59.3)

6599

72.0 (70.7, 73.2)

5749

67.1 (65.7, 68.4)

4656

12.8 (10.7, 15.0)

8109

− 4.4 (− 5.9, − 2.9)

 Sometimes justified (2)

2396

35.3 (33.8, 36.8)

2233

21.4 (20.4, 22.6)

2557

26.5 (25.3, 27.8)

4656

− 12.6 (− 14.8, − 10.4)

8109

4.2 (2.7, 5.7)

 Usually or always justified (3)

376

6.0 (5.3, 6.9)

434

5.6 (5.0, 6.4)

485

5.7 (5.1, 6.4)

4656

− 0.6 (− 1.7, 0.5)

8109

0.2 (− 0.6, 1.1)

 Non-response

41

0.9 (0.6, 1.3)

72

1.0 (0.7, 1.3)

47

0.7 (0.5, 1.0)

4656

0.4 (0.0, 0.8)

8109

0.0 (− 0.3, 0.3)

 Item score§

6454

1.48 (1.46, 1.50)

9266

1.33 (1.31, 1.35)

8791

1.38 (1.36, 1.40)

4608

− 0.137 (− 0.164, − 0.110)

8039

0.046 (0.027, 0.065)

To support a protest‡

          

 Never justified (1)

5244

78.4 (77.1, 79.7)

7783

80.5 (79.3, 81.6)

7389

80.7 (79.4, 81.8)

4682

2.1 (0.2, 4.1)

8109

− 0.1 (− 1.4, 1.3)

 Sometimes justified (2)

935

16.4 (15.2, 17.7)

1174

14.1 (13.2, 15.2)

1142

14.9 (13.9, 16.1)

4682

− 2.6 (− 4.4, − 0.8)

8109

0.3 (− 1.1, 1.7)

 Usually or always justified (3)

246

4.5 (3.9, 5.2)

319

4.5 (3.9, 5.2)

260

3.7 (3.1, 4.3)

4682

0.0 (− 1.2, 1.1)

8109

− 0.4 (− 1.2, 0.4)

 Non-response

27

0.6 (0.4, 1.0)

62

0.9 (0.6, 1.2)

47

0.7 (0.5, 1.1)

4682

0.5 (0.1, 1.0)

8109

0.1 (− 0.2, 0.4)

 Item score§

6425

1.26 (1.24, 1.27)

9276

1.23 (1.22, 1.25)

8791

1.22 (1.21, 1.24)

4641

− 0.027 (− 0.053, − 0.002)

8044

− 0.003 (− 0.021, 0.015)

  1. Change scores have a potential range from 0 (no change) to ±2. Change scores for 2023-2034 that differ significantly from 0 are in bold font. Findings for 2022 and 2023 respondents and mean differences for 2022-2023 were published previously [10] and are reproduced for convenience
  2. * These objectives were paired in 2022, with respondents randomized 1:1 to see 1 item in each pair
  3. † Among respondents to both surveys
  4. ‡ Participants in each year who did not answer the question “In general…to advance an important political objective that you support” were not asked this question
  5. § Mean scores were calculated using values indicated in the response lines for individual items. Non-responses were excluded from mean score calculations and differences in mean scores were computed in the subsample of respondents with non-missing responses in both years by computing within-individual change scores and averaging them, to account for the longitudinal study design. For computing differences in individual response levels, indicator variables were computed for each item for each response level and within-individual differences in these were computed and averaged in the subsample of respondents who responded to the survey in both years. This explains the variation in the unweighted n for the mean differences
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Injury Epidemiology

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