ABC News Church in Crisis Poll, 2002 - Codebook

All Frequencies weighted by 72) FNLWGT;
(The number of missing cases reported in the codebook are unweighted)

1) Response number (RESPNO)

	N	Mean	Std. Deviation
Total	1,086	1,477.73	999.64

2) Date of Survey (DATE)

	TOTAL	%
25) March 25, 2002	499	45.9
26) March 26, 2002	289	26.6
27) March 27, 2002	151	13.9
28) March 28, 2002	148	13.6
Total	1087	100.0

3) Full Fips Code (FIPS)

	N	Mean	Std. Deviation
Total	1,086	29,454.24	15,990.37

4) Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

	N	Mean	Std. Deviation
Total	1,086	3,376.05	2,954.07

5) Census Division (CENSDIV)

	TOTAL	%
1) New England	57	5.2
2) Middle Atlantic	157	14.4
3) East North Central	162	14.9
4) West North Central	78	7.2
5) South Atlantic	213	19.6
6) East South Central	60	5.6
7) West South Central	135	12.5
8) Mountain	69	6.3
9) Pacific	155	14.3
Total	1086	100.0

6) Region (REG4)

	TOTAL	%
1) East (Census Division 1,2)	214	19.7
2) Midwest (Census Division 3,4)	240	22.1
3) South (Census Division 5,6,7)	408	37.6
4) West (Census Division 8,9)	224	20.6
Total	1086	100.0

7) Designated Market Area - 3 digit code (DMA)

	N	Mean	Std. Deviation
Total	1,086	622.13	111.25

8) ABC State (ABCNUM)

	N	Mean	Std. Deviation
Total	1,086	26.47	14.99

9) Time zone (TZONE)

	TOTAL	%
1) Eastern	528	48.6
2) Central	333	30.6
3) Mountain	63	5.8
4) Pacific	163	15.0
Total	1087	100.0

10) Number of times Interviewer tried to call (TIMES)

	TOTAL	%
1) One time	487	45.0
2) Two times	274	25.3
3) Three times	143	13.2
4) Four times	87	8.1
5) Five times	56	5.2
6) Six times	18	1.7
7) Seven times	12	1.1
8) Eight times	5	0.5
9) Nine times	2	0.1
Total	1084	100.0

11) What type of sampling was done to get this interview? (SAMPTYPE)

	TOTAL	%
1) RDD (Random Digit Dialing)	924	85.1
2) Oversample (Catholics especially)	162	14.9
Total	1086	100.0

12) Are you a Catholic or a non-Catholic? (CATH)

	TOTAL	%
1) Catholic	250	23.1
2) Non-Catholic	836	76.9
Total	1086	100.0

13) Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president? (BUSH)

	TOTAL	%
1) Approve STRONGLY	529	49.1
2) Approve SOMEWHAT	323	29.9
3) Disapprove STRONGLY	109	10.1
4) Disapprove SOMEWHAT	83	7.7
8) DK/No opinion	34	3.1
Missing	10
Total	1078	100.0

14) Overall, would you say you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the Catholic Church? (CATHCHUR)

	TOTAL	%
1) Favorable	571	54.7
2) Unfavorable	355	33.9
8) DK/No opinion	119	11.4
Missing	34
Total	1045	100.0

15) [Asked of Catholics only] How satisfied are you with the leadership provided by your parish priest or priests - very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? (LDPARISH)

	TOTAL	%
1) Very satisfied	141	57.2
2) Somewhat satisfied	71	28.9
3) Somewhat dissatisfied	13	5.1
4) Very dissatisfied	8	3.2
5) Don't go to church/Don't have parish	11	4.6
8) DK/No opinion	3	1.1
Missing	587
Total	247	100.0

16) [Asked of Catholics only] How satisfied are you with the leadership provided by your bishop - very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? (LDBISHOP)

	TOTAL	%
1) Very satisfied	99	40.2
2) Somewhat satisfied	89	36.0
3) Somewhat dissatisfied	27	11.1
4) Very dissatisfied	14	5.7
8) DK/No opinion	17	7.0
Missing	591
Total	246	100.0

17) [Asked of Catholics only] How satisfied are you with the leadership provided by the Pope - very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? (LDPOPE)

	TOTAL	%
1) Very satisfied	101	40.9
2) Somewhat satisfied	95	38.4
3) Somewhat dissatisfied	33	13.5
4) Very dissatisfied	11	4.5
8) DK/No opinion	7	2.7
Missing	588
Total	247	100.0

18) [Asked of Catholics only], Do you think the church should do more to involve lay people in deciding church policies and practices, or is it doing enough? (LAYPEOPL)

	TOTAL	%
1) Church should do more	132	55.8
2) Church is doing enough	105	44.1
Missing	606
Total	237	100.0

19) Currently, Roman Catholic priests cannot get married. Do you favor or oppose that policy? (PRMARRY)

	TOTAL	%
1) Favor	215	20.6
2) Oppose	692	66.2
8) DK/No opinion	137	13.1
Missing	34
Total	1044	100.0

20) Currently, women cannot become priests in the Roman Catholic Church. Do you favor or oppose that policy? (PRWOMEN)

	TOTAL	%
1) Favor	297	28.0
2) Oppose	678	64.0
8) DK/No opinion	85	8.0
Missing	23
Total	1060	100.0

21) In your opinion, how much of a problem is the issue of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests - would you say it's a major problem that demands immediate attention, a less immediate problem or not much of a problem at all? (ABUSEPR)

	TOTAL	%
1) Major problem	822	75.9
2) Less immediate problem	170	15.7
3) Not much of a problem at all	64	5.9
8) DK/No opinion	27	2.5
Missing	4
Total	1083	100.0

22) Would you call this issue [of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests] a crisis for the church, or not a crisis? (ABUSECR)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes	860	79.7
2) No	204	18.9
8) DK/No opinion	15	1.4
Missing	7
Total	1079	100.0

23) Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Catholic Church has handled the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests? (HANDLECH)

	TOTAL	%
1) Approve STRONGLY	56	5.2
2) Approve SOMEWHAT	151	14.1
3) Disapprove STRONGLY	529	49.4
4) Disapprove SOMEWHAT	190	17.7
8) DK/No opinion	145	13.6
Missing	14
Total	1071	100.0

24) Do you approve or disapprove of the way your own parish priest or priests have handled this issue? (HANDLEPR)

	TOTAL	%
1) Approve STRONGLY	111	45.3
2) Approve SOMEWHAT	54	22.2
3) Disapprove STRONGLY	15	6.2
4) Disapprove SOMEWHAT	15	6.0
5) Don't go to church/Don't have parish	15	6.3
8) DK/No opinion	35	14.3
Missing	593
Total	245	100.0

25) [Asked of Catholics only], Do you approve or disapprove of the way your bishop has handled this issue? (HANDLEBI)

	TOTAL	%
1) Approve STRONGLY	70	29.3
2) Approve SOMEWHAT	60	25.1
3) Disapprove STRONGLY	37	15.6
4) Disapprove SOMEWHAT	34	14.3
8) DK/No opinion	39	16.1
Missing	601
Total	240	100.0

26) [Asked of Catholics only], Do you approve or disapprove of the way national leaders of the Catholic Church have handled this issue? (HANDLENL)

	TOTAL	%
1) Approve STRONGLY	35	14.0
2) Approve SOMEWHAT	65	26.4
3) Disapprove STRONGLY	76	30.8
4) Disapprove SOMEWHAT	53	21.5
8) DK/No opinion	18	7.1
Missing	588
Total	247	100.0

27) [Asked of Catholics only], Do you think that sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests is something that happens very often, somewhat often, infrequently, or very rarely? (FREQABUS)

	TOTAL	%
1) Very often	185	17.1
2) Somewhat often	354	32.8
3) Infrequently	227	21.0
4) Very rarely	237	22.0
5) Never	2	0.2
8) DK/No opinion	75	7.0
Missing	5
Total	1080	100.0

28) Do you feel that the Catholic Church is or is not doing enough to deal with this issue [of sexual abuse of children by priests]? (HELPABUS)

	TOTAL	%
1) Is doing enough	277	25.8
2) Is NOT doing enough	683	63.6
8) DK/No opinion	113	10.6
Missing	10
Total	1073	100.0

29) Has the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests hurt the overall reputation of the Catholic Church in your eyes, or not? (HURTREP)

	TOTAL	%
1) Has hurt reputation	750	69.2
2) Has NOT hurt reputation	311	28.7
8) DK/No opinion	23	2.1
Missing	1
Total	1084	100.0

30) [If HURTREP is 'has hurt reputation'], Has it hurt the church's reputation in your eyes a great deal, or only somewhat? (HURTAMT)

	TOTAL	%
1) Great deal	409	55.0
2) Only somewhat	335	45.0
Missing	341
Total	744	100.0

31) Do you think Catholic priests are more likely than other men to sexually abuse children, less likely, or about the same? (PRIESTSA)

	TOTAL	%
1) More likely	159	14.8
2) Less likely	149	13.8
3) About the same	746	69.2
8) DK/No opinion	24	2.2
Missing	7
Total	1078	100.0

32) Sometimes when a priest has been accused of sexually abusing a child, the church has responded by transferring that priest to another parish, without telling parishioners about the accusation. Do you approve or disapprove of that practice? (TRANSFPR)

	TOTAL	%
1) Approve strongly	26	2.4
2) Approve somewhat	22	2.0
3) Disapprove strongly	920	84.8
4) Disapprove somewhat	93	8.5
8) DK/No opinion	24	2.2
Missing	1
Total	1085	100.0

33) Please tell me if you think the church's policy of not allowing priests to marry contributes to the problem of sexual abuse of children by priests, or not. (PRNOMAR)

	TOTAL	%
1) MAJOR PART of the problem	444	41.1
2) MINOR PART of the problem	374	34.6
3) Not part of the problem	226	20.9
8) DK/No opinion	36	3.3
Missing	5
Total	1080	100.0

34) Please tell me if you think the church's policy of not allowing women to be priests contributes to the problem of sexual abuse of children by priests, or not. (PRNOWOM)

	TOTAL	%
1) MAJOR PART of the problem	197	18.2
2) MINOR PART of the problem	400	37.1
3) Not part of the problem	448	41.5
8) DK/No opinion	34	3.1
Missing	8
Total	1079	100.0

35) Please tell me if you think the practice of transferring priests accused of sexual abuse to another parish contributes to the problem of sexual abuse of children by priests, or not. (PRTRANS)

	TOTAL	%
1) MAJOR PART of the problem	863	79.7
2) MINOR PART of the problem	138	12.7
3) Not part of the problem	63	5.9
8) DK/No opinion	19	1.8
Missing	2
Total	1083	100.0

36) Please tell me if you think the practice of not calling the police when a priest is accused of sexual abuse contributes to the problem of sexual abuse of children by priests, or not. (PRNOPOL)

	TOTAL	%
1) MAJOR PART of the problem	908	84.0
2) MINOR PART of the problem	109	10.1
3) Not part of the problem	30	2.8
8) DK/No opinion	34	3.2
Missing	5
Total	1081	100.0

37) Please tell me if you think a reluctance in the Church to dismiss priests because of a shortage of priests contributes to the problem of sexual abuse of children by priests, or not. (PRSHORT)

	TOTAL	%
1) MAJOR PART of the problem	617	56.8
2) MINOR PART of the problem	268	24.7
3) Not part of the problem	129	11.9
8) DK/No opinion	71	6.5
Missing	3
Total	1085	100.0

38) Please tell me if you think a lack of Vatican oversight of the Catholic Church in the United States contributes to the problem of sexual abuse of children by priests, or not. (PRVATIC)

	TOTAL	%
1) MAJOR PART of the problem	355	33.0
2) MINOR PART of the problem	403	37.4
3) Not part of the problem	213	19.8
8) DK/No opinion	106	9.8
Missing	5
Total	1077	100.0

39) If a parish priest is accused of sexually abusing a child, do you think church officials should or should not inform his parishioners of the charge? (INFORM)

	TOTAL	%
1) Should inform parishioners	963	89.1
2) Should NOT inform parishioners	94	8.7
8) DK/No opinion	24	2.2
Missing	6
Total	1081	100.0

40) [If INFORM is 'should inform parishioners'], Should the church be required by law to do that, or should it be up to the church to decide? (INFORMLA)

	TOTAL	%
1) Should be required by law	704	73.1
2) Should be up to the church	241	25.1
8) DK/No opinion	18	1.8
Missing	161
Total	963	100.0

41) If a priest is accused of sexually abusing a child, do you think church officials should or should not report that information to the police? (POLICE)

	TOTAL	%
1) Should report to police	1050	97.1
2) Should NOT report to police	19	1.8
8) DK/No opinion	12	1.1
Missing	5
Total	1081	100.0

42) [If POLICE is 'should report to police'], Should the church be required by law to do that, or should it be up to the church to decide? (POLICELA)

	TOTAL	%
1) Should be required by law	876	83.5
2) Should be up to the church	161	15.3
8) DK/No opinion	12	1.2
Missing	42
Total	1049	100.0

43) [Asked of Catholics only], Do you think your diocese should or should not publicly report the amount of money it has paid to settle lawsuits against priests accused of sexually abusing children? (REPMONEY)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes, should publicly report	178	71.9
2) No, should not publicly report	62	24.8
3) Has already reported	0	0.1
8) DK/No opinion	8	3.2
Missing	588
Total	248	100.0

44) [Asked of Catholics only], Do you think your diocese should or should not publicly release the names of priests who have been accused of sexually abusing children? (REPNAMES)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes, should publicly release	176	70.8
2) No, should not publicly release	65	26.1
3) Has already released	2	0.7
8) DK/No opinion	6	2.3
Missing	585
Total	249	100.0

45) In the past, do you think church officials have mainly tried to prevent sexual abuse of children by priests, or mainly tried to cover up the problem? (COVERUP)

	TOTAL	%
1) Tried to prevent	175	16.3
2) Tried to cover it up	792	73.6
3) Both equally	34	3.2
8) DK/No opinion	75	6.9
Missing	12
Total	1076	100.0

46) And how about now, do you think church officials now are mainly trying to prevent sexual abuse of children by priests, or mainly trying to cover up the problem? (COVERNOW)

	TOTAL	%
1) Trying to prevent	469	43.5
2) Trying to cover it up	497	46.0
3) Both equally	49	4.6
8) DK/No opinion	64	5.9
Missing	9
Total	1079	100.0

47) How confident are you that the Catholic Church can solve the problem of sexual abuse of children by priests - very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident or not confident at all? (CONFID)

	TOTAL	%
1) Very confident	173	16.1
2) Somewhat confident	432	40.2
3) Not too confident	245	22.8
4) Not confident at all	200	18.6
8) DK/No opinion	25	2.3
Missing	11
Total	1075	100.0

48) Overall, do you think the recent news coverage of this issue has been fair to the church, or unfair? (FAIRNEWS)

	TOTAL	%
1) Fair	820	75.9
2) Unfair	188	17.4
8) DK/No opinion	72	6.7
Missing	7
Total	1080	100.0

49) [Asked of Catholics only], Has this issue caused you personally to give less money in donations to the church, to give more money in donations to the church, or has your giving to the church remained about the same? (DONATION)

	TOTAL	%
1) Giving less	22	8.9
2) Giving more	2	0.7
3) Giving the same	221	88.2
8) DK/No opinion	5	2.1
Missing	584
Total	250	100.0

50) Overall, when you think of the way the church has handled the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests, how would you say you feel about it - angry; dissatisfied but not angry; satisfied, but not pleased; or are you pleased with the way the church has handled it? (FEELINGS)

	TOTAL	%
1) Angry	408	37.9
2) Dissatisfied but not angry	454	42.2
3) Satisfied, but not pleased	143	13.2
4) Pleased	35	3.3
8) DK/No opinion	37	3.5
Missing	8
Total	1077	100.0

51) [Asked of Catholics only], Has this issue of sexual abuse by priests caused you to rethink or re-examine your own personal faith, or not? (PERFAITH)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes	36	14.6
2) No	212	85.4
Missing	586
Total	248	100.0

52) [Asked of Catholics only], Do you think there is any chance that you will leave the Roman Catholic Church altogether in the next few years? (LEAVECH)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes	27	10.7
2) No	211	84.4
3) Have already left	7	2.6
8) DK/No opinion	5	2.1
Missing	585
Total	250	100.0

53) [If LEAVECH is 'Yes'], Is that very likely, somewhat likely or not too likely? (LEAVEYES)

	TOTAL	%
1) Very likely	13	46.5
2) Somewhat likely	13	48.0
3) Not too likely	1	4.1
Missing	1041
Total	27	100.0

54) [If LEAVECH is 'Yes'], Is the issue of sexual abuse by priests the main reason you might leave the church, a reason but not the main one, or not a reason? (LEAVESA)

	TOTAL	%
1) Main reason	7	28.8
2) A reason but not the main one	14	53.4
3) Not a reason	5	20.3
Missing	1041
Total	26	100.0

55) [Asked of Catholics only], How much do you trust your own parish priest around children - do you trust him completely, a good amount, somewhat, or not much? (TRUSTPR)

	TOTAL	%
1) Completely	148	60.3
2) A good amount	46	18.8
3) Somewhat	22	9.0
4) Not much	12	4.8
5) Don't know priest/Don't go to church/Don't have parish	17	6.8
Missing	598
Total	245	100.0

56) Are you aware of any instances in which a Catholic priest in your own community has been accused of sexually abusing children, or not? (OWNCOMM)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes	106	9.8
2) No	968	89.4
8) DK/No opinion	9	0.8
Missing	3
Total	1083	100.0

57) [Asked of Catholics only], As far as you are aware, have any priests in your own parish been accused of sexually abusing children, or not? (OWNPARSH)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes	16	6.2
2) No	227	90.4
3) Don't go to church/Don't have parish	4	1.6
8) DK/No opinion	4	1.4
Missing	584
Total	251	100.0

58) [Asked of non-Catholics only], As far as you are aware, have any clergy in your own religious congregation been accused of sexually abusing children, or not? (OWNCLERG)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes	38	5.7
2) No	627	93.7
3) Don't go to church, synagogue, etc./Don't have congregation	2	0.3
8) DK/No opinion	2	0.3
Missing	626
Total	669	100.0

59) As far as you're aware, do you have any relatives or personal friends who've been sexually abused as a child by a Catholic priest, or not? (RELATSA)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes	36	3.3
2) No	1042	96.2
8) DK/No opinion	5	0.5
Missing	4
Total	1083	100.0

60) What was the last grade of school you completed? (EDUC)

	TOTAL	%
1) Eighth grade or less	24	2.2
2) Some high school	139	12.9
3) Graduated high school/Technical School	364	33.8
4) Some college	271	25.1
5) Graduated college	202	18.7
6) Postgraduate	79	7.4
Missing	6
Total	1079	100.0

61) What is your age? (AGE)

	N	Mean	Std. Deviation
Total	1,065	44.90	16.91

62) Do you have any children under age 18 living at home, or not? (CHILDREN)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes	421	38.9
2) No	661	61.1
Missing	4
Total	1082	100.0

63) Are you of Hispanic origin or background? (RACE)

	TOTAL	%
1) White	842	78.4
2) Black	115	10.7
3) White Hispanic	34	3.1
4) Black Hispanic	6	0.6
5) Hispanic (no race given)	13	1.2
6) Other race	64	5.9
Missing	15
Total	1074	100.0

64) [Asked of Catholics only], May a reporter from ABC NEWS or THE WASHINGTON POST call you to talk about some of the things we've been discussing? (CALLBACK)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes	159	63.9
2) No	90	36.2
Missing	585
Total	249	100.0

65) Respondent's sex (SEX)

	TOTAL	%
1) Male	518	47.7
2) Female	568	52.3
Total	1086	100.0

66) [If EDUC is 'Graduated college'], Was that a bachelor's degree, or what? (DEGREE)

	TOTAL	%
2) Bachelor's degree	164	81.0
3) Other	38	18.9
Missing	824
Total	202	100.0

67) Religion Recodes or Religion Nets (RELNET)

	TOTAL	%
1) Protestant	522	49.6
2) Catholic	250	23.8
3) Christian (non-Protestant)	121	11.5
4) Other Non-Christian	28	2.7
5) None	133	12.7
Missing	22
Total	1054	100.0

68) What, if anything, is your religion? (RELIGION)

	TOTAL	%
1) Agnostic	12	1.1
2) Atheist	9	0.9
3) Baptist	175	16.6
4) Catholic/Roman Catholic	250	23.8
6) Episcopalian	8	0.8
7) Jewish	7	0.7
8) Lutheran	50	4.8
9) Methodist	52	4.9
10) Pentecostal	22	2.1
11) Presbyterian	21	2.0
13) Southern Baptist	4	0.4
14) None	112	10.7
22) Christian (Non-Protestant)	121	11.5
23) Other Non-Christian	17	1.6
24) Islam/Muslim	4	0.4
25) Protestant Non-Denominational	190	18.0
Missing	22
Total	1054	100.0

69) [If RELIGION is 'Christian'], Is that a Protestant denomination, or not? (PROT)

	TOTAL	%
1) Yes	77	44.8
2) No	89	52.1
8) DK/No opinion	5	2.8
Missing	960
Total	171	100.0

70) Aside from weddings and funerals, how often do you attend religious services - at least once a week, a few times a month, or less often than that? (RELSERV)

	TOTAL	%
1) At least once a week	429	39.6
2) A few times a month	203	18.7
3) Less often that than	412	38.1
4) Never	37	3.5
Missing	5
Total	1081	100.0

71) Would you describe yourself as a religious person, or not religious? (DEM15)

	TOTAL	%
1) Very religious	368	34.4
2) Somewhat religious	502	47.0
3) Not religious	198	18.6
Missing	18
Total	1068	100.0

72) Weight (FNLWGT)

	N	Mean	Std. Deviation
Total	1,086	1.00	0.70

73) Region (REGION)

	TOTAL	%
1) East (Census Division 1,2)	214	19.7
2) Midwest (Census Division 3,4)	240	22.1
3) South (Census Division 5,6,7)	408	37.6
4) West (Census Division 8,9)	224	20.6
Total	1086	100.0

74) Age breakdown (AGEBREAK)

	TOTAL	%
1) 18-30	256	24.0
2) 31-44	316	29.7
3) 45-60	283	26.5
4) 61+	210	19.7
Missing	22
Total	1065	100.0

75) Education breakdown (EDUBREAK)

	TOTAL	%
1) Less than high school	163	15.1
2) Graduated high school	364	33.8
3) Some college+	552	51.1
Missing	6
Total	1079	100.0

76) What was the last grade of school you completed? (recoded for use with online analysis). (I-EDUC)

	TOTAL	%
1) Less than high school (includes 'eighth grade or less' and 'some high school')	163	15.1
2) Graduated high school/Technical School	364	33.8
3) Some college	271	25.1
4) Graduated college	202	18.7
5) Postgraduate	79	7.4
Missing	6
Total	1079	100.0

77) What is your age? (recoded for use with online analysis). (I-AGE)

	TOTAL	%
1) 18-30	256	24.0
2) 31-45	342	32.1
3) 46-64	296	27.8
4) 65+	171	16.0
Missing	22
Total	1065	100.0

78) Region (for use with online analysis). (I-REGION)

	TOTAL	%
1) East (Census Division 1,2)	214	19.7
2) Midwest (Census Division 3,4)	240	22.1
3) South (Census Division 5,6,7)	408	37.6
4) West (Census Division 8,9)	224	20.6
Total	1086	100.0

79) Respondent's sex (for use with online analysis). (I-SEX)

	TOTAL	%
1) Male	518	47.7
2) Female	568	52.3
Total	1086	100.0

80) Religion Recodes or Religion Nets (for use with online analysis). (I-RELIGION)

	TOTAL	%
1) Protestant	522	49.6
2) Catholic	250	23.8
3) Christian (non-Protestant)	121	11.5
4) Other Non-Christian	28	2.7
5) None	133	12.7
Missing	22
Total	1054	100.0