Topic: Pew Research Center

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'Stop and frisk': 7 questions about New York's controversial policing tactic

A federal class-action lawsuit regarding the New York Police Department’s stop-and-frisk program has raised questions about the controversial practice made legal under a 1968 US Supreme Court ruling. But what is it, and does it work?
2012's 'good news' stories

2012 saw jobs returning to the US, health concerns improve in historic numbers, and more.
Mainstream media biased against Romney? Four points to consider.

Many supporters of Mitt Romney argue that his potential path toward the White House has been made a lot steeper by the media. Here are some of the main arguments pro and con.
Top 5 bullying myths

We all know that bullying is wrong but you may know even less about bullying than you originally thought. Monitor correspondent Stephanie Hanes debunks 5 popular misconceptions.
June weddings: 7 measures of matrimony

June has traditionally been the most popular month for Americans to wed. Here are some facts about the American wedding landscape.

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Horizons Kindle Fire drives tablet ownership numbers up, up, up

Amazon Kindle Fire helped tablet ownership in America nearly double in less than a month, according to a new Pew report.
What now for Ron Paul after finishing last in South Carolina?

Ron Paul has yet to win a Republican primary or caucus. But his aim is to steadily gain delegates, building a movement and perhaps getting recognition at his party's nominating convention.
The Monitor's View: Eight reasons to hit 'mute' during TV ads by super PACs

First Iowa, now South Carolina, have seen the first wave of political TV ads from super PACs – mostly negative – that will smother the 2012 elections. Voters have an easy way to avoid such ads.
Biden, in a swing state, addresses student anxiety over college costs (+video)

Vice President Biden sought Friday to remind Pennsylvania high-schoolers of the value of higher eduction – and how the Obama administration is trying to control college costs. The state's Class of 2010 owes an average of $28,599 per graduate – the fifth highest debt level in the US.
Mitt Romney attack ads reveal big-business divide among Republicans

The biggest split among Republican voters is over the role of corporations. Mitt Romney's Bain Capital experience highlights the GOP divide.
Mormons like Mitt Romney more than Jon Huntsman but question his electability

A new survey shows a large discrepancy in how American Mormons view the two Mormon candidates for president, Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman. But many doubt that America is ready to elect a Mormon president.
Obama would trounce Romney, Perry among Latino voters, survey finds

At least two-thirds of Latino registered voters prefer President Obama over Mitt Romney or Rick Perry, a new survey shows. Both do worse than John McCain did in 2008, signaling GOP is not making hoped-for gains among Latinos.
Religiously active people more likely to engage in civic life, Pew study finds

The Pew study authors say their findings counter the view that religiously active people are less engaged with the secular world. Increased trust of others and optimism about one's impact on the community are cited as factors.
Pew study: female vets more critical than men of Iraq, Afghanistan wars

Military women are also a more racially diverse group than US men in uniform, and they’re less likely to be married, according to a study released this week by the Pew Research Center.
Cover Story Why the 2012 election could all come down to Florida

The nation's premier swing state, younger and more diverse than you think, will be vital in deciding who wins the White House. Along the way, Florida could determine the GOP primary, too.
Is falling US marriage rate a bad thing? Some find positives in the data.

The portion of US adults who are married has hit a record low, barely half, which experts say bodes ill for child-rearing. But many see positives in the latest data and say the institution is not imperiled.
The Monitor's View: America's rash retreat from marriage

In a nation soon to be dominated by single adults, more Americans find marriage obsolete or worth putting off. But can a society afford to have so many people unwilling to make a self-sacrifice to another in a bond that drives civilization?
Progress Watch Why the US teen birthrate hit a record low in 2010

Last year, the teen birthrate dropped to the lowest level ever reported in the US. Increased use of birth control is one reason, and many say that parent-child dialogue is key.
Digging for political dirt? Twitter could be the source for you.

As the presidential race picks up the pace, Twitter has become the go-to meeting place for those dealing in political dirt. A Pew center study finds it a far more negative medium than blogs or the mainstream press.
Why Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are finding civilian reentry harder

A Pew study finds that military veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11 are surviving more serious injuries – another one of the reasons civilian reentry is so difficult.
Cover Story Mexico drug war casualty: Citizenry suffers post-traumatic stress

Outwardly, life seems normal; but as drug war kidnappings, extortion, and violence brush closer to the average citizen, experts say, the mental terrain looks like post-traumatic stress.
Herman Cain's other problem: African-Americans

Though his campaign caught fire for a time, many black voters did not embrace Herman Cain because he rejects institutional racism as a major issue. But his candidacy has exposed rifts in the black community.
Why can't Pakistan clear its terrorist safe havens? Envoy explains. (video)

The US and Pakistan are stuck in an unsatisfactory arrangement where neither side gets what it wants, the envoy says: no Pakistani crackdown on North Waziristan, and ongoing US drone strikes.
Barbie doll tattoos: Is new doll appropriate for kids?

Barbie doll tattoos are stirring up controversy yet again. Mattel releases the pink-haired, tattoed Tokidoki Barbie doll, which some are calling out as inappropriate for young girls. But Barbie doll tattoos have come under fire before, and Mattel has been making dolls specifically for adult collectors for years.
Opinion: Why is it OK to to be prejudiced against Mormons?

You can’t be openly racist, sexist, or anti-Semitic in America. But anti-Mormon? Go for it. Maybe a White House run by Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman will shine enough light on actual Mormons to make us put aside the fears and fantasies about them.
Media report card for presidential election: Who's gotten the best coverage?

In the first six months of the 2012 presidential election, the news media have given Rick Perry the most positive attention but Herman Cain's star is rising.
MLK Memorial: From China, with love?

MLK Memorial plans have been dogged by controversy over links to China. The MLK Memorial was built by a Chinese sculptor from Chinese granite. But backers are pleased with the result.
Will Mitt Romney's 'Mormon moment' help his campaign?

When a Dallas pastor called Mr. Romney’s faith – Mormonism – a 'cult' at a recent convention of Christian conservatives, he brought into the open the role of religion in the primaries.
Sex, race, and religion: Speed bumps along the campaign trail

Mitt Romney's religion, Herman Cain's comments about Muslims, Rick Perry's hunting camp with the racially-offensive name – just a few of the distractions along the 2012 campaign trail.
Mitt Romney is a Mormon. Does it matter in politics?

A prominent evangelical leader who supports Rick Perry says the Mormon religion "is a cult." Several polls show a significant minority of voters would not vote for a Mormon, a subject Mitt Romney may have to address again.