Horatio Alger Association |
Greatest National Problems
|
Problems |
What 1997 Teens See as Greatest National Problems Now |
What 1997 Teens See as Greatest National Problems in 2005 |
|
Crime/Violence |
30.2 |
18.9 |
|
Decline of family/moral & social values |
33.8 |
19.8 |
|
AIDS |
23.4 |
15.3 |
|
Drugs |
18.6 |
10.5 |
|
Environmental pollution/ deterioration |
7.8 |
19.5 |
|
Health care |
7.5 |
7.2 |
|
Government/U.S. budget |
8.1 |
10.8 |
|
National debt |
8.1 |
14.4 |
|
Poverty/unemployment |
10.5 |
9.0 |
|
Terrorism |
6.9 |
7.8 |
|
Racial tension/discrimination |
11.1 |
5.7 |
|
Inflation |
4.8 |
8.4 |
Worst Influences Facing Youth Today
|
Problem |
1996 |
1997 |
|
Drugs |
21.1% |
35.6% |
|
Peer pressure |
20.0 |
25.4 |
|
Sex/poor morals |
11.9 |
17.7 |
|
Violence |
11.9 |
14.1 |
|
Gangs |
11.7 |
11.4 |
|
Crime |
4.2 |
9.9 |
|
Television |
2.9 |
5.4 |
|
Alcohol |
2.5 |
10.2 |
|
Parents/elders |
2.1 |
2.7 |
|
Political leaders |
1.9 |
2.4 |
|
Cigarettes |
1.8 |
8.1 |
|
Unemployment |
1.4 |
3.3 |
|
Poverty |
0.6 |
3.0 |
|
Pornography |
0.4 |
2.4 |
|
Music |
0.4 |
1.8 |
|
Movies |
0.3 |
0.9 |
1998 Teenage Survey from the Josephson Institute.