2003 Youth Summit Survey is now closed
1580 Responses as of 4/28/03	Note: Percentages have been rounded.

Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago 2003 Illinois Youth Summit Survey Results
Location	15% Chicago	79% Illinois (non-Chicago)
Community Type:	15% Rural	40% Suburban	42% Urban
Gender:	52% Female	44% Male
Age:	13-14: 6%	15: 11%	16: 23%	17: 29%
	18: 11%	19: 1%	20+: 9%	No Response: 10%
I. TORTURING SUSPECTED TERRORISTS
The United States has signed the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which defines torture as "any act by which severe pain or suffering is intentionally inflicted on a person." Since September 11, however, some people have suggested that torture of suspected terrorists might help authorities prevent a similar catastrophe.
1. Should the United States consider using torture on suspected terrorists to gain information about imminent attacks on the United States and/or U.S. citizens?
39% Yes	38% No	14% Don't know
2. Should the United States "render" - turn over - suspected terrorists to countries that use torture during interrogation?
30% Yes	52% No	18% Don't know
3. Should interrogation methods such as sleep deprivation, sensory deprivation, and being held in painful and awkward positions - methods which some human rights advocates argue may constitute torture - be used by the United States?
36% Yes	48% No	16% Don't know
4. Should the federal government create a non-lethal "torture warrant" for use with uncooperative suspects whom the government reasonably believes have information about an imminent terrorist attack?
45% Yes	34% No	21% Don't know
II. EXPANDING SEARCH AND SEIZURE POWERS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
The Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] is the primary criminal investigative agency in the federal government. Following the attacks of September 11, the central mission of the FBI became the prevention of terrorist acts against the United States and its people. In May 2002 U.S. Attorney General Ashcroft introduced new guidelines for investigations that include a new provision for counter-terrorism activities. Under the old guidelines, the FBI could open an inquiry of criminal activity as long as there was an allegation or information of possible criminal activity [II B (1)]. "For the purpose of detecting and preventing terrorist attacks," the new guidelines allow FBI agents to: attend any public meeting or demonstration, monitor internet chat rooms, and enter religious institutions and attend religious observances without agents necessarily following a lead that is part of an investigation or preliminary inquiry.
1. In order to prevent terrorism, should FBI agents be able to:
monitor public meetings?	69% Yes	23% No	8% Don't know
monitor internet chat rooms?	56% Yes	35% No	8% Don't know
attend religious observances and institutions?	43% Yes	44% No	13% Don't know
2. Some people are concerned that the power to visit public places and events might lead to "the bad old days" when the FBI spied on people like Dr. Martin Luther King who were engaged in protected First Amendment activities such as speech, assembly, and worship. Other people believe that the new guidelines are necessary because of the difficulties in tracking terrorists, and they note that no information from these visits shall be retained by the FBI unless it relates to potential criminal or terrorist activity
Do you think the new guidelines provide:
too much power to FBI agents?	36%
appropriate power to FBI agents?	58%
not enough power to FBI agents?	6%
3. For the purpose of detecting or preventing terrorist activities, should the FBI continue to be permitted to visit any place and attend any event that is open to the public, without any indication of criminal activity?
54% Yes	31% No	14% Don't know
III. CREATING A FEDERAL DATABASE
In response to the attacks of September 11, the U.S. Department of Defense has begun development of the Total Information Awareness (TIA) project. Part of this project is based on the idea that terrorist planning activities or a likely terrorist attack could be uncovered by searching vast quantities of "transaction" data, such as web searches, financial records, purchases, school records, medical records and travel histories. TIA would provide a database of information about individuals in the United States only using data that is legally available and obtainable by the U.S. Government.
1. For a federal database such as TIA, would you want to include/keep out the following personal information:
Financial Records?	49% Include	51% Keep Out
Internet/email use?	43% Include	57% Keep Out
Library/Video Records?	50% Include	50% Keep Out
Medical Records?	46% Include	54% Keep Out
School Records?	53% Include	47% Keep Out
Travel Histories?	70% Include	30% Keep Out
2. Will the Total Information Awareness project be an effective security measure to reduce the threat of terrorism?
39% Yes	28% No	33% Don't know
3. Is the Total Information Awareness project an acceptable use of personal information about U.S. citizens and residents by the federal government?
40% Yes	35% No	24% Don't know
4. Should the U.S. Government develop the Total Information Awareness project?
42% Yes	30% No	28% Don't know

Survey conducted February - April 2003. Total Responses as of April, 2003: 1,580

---

The 2003 Illinois Youth Summit is a program of the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago and is part of Youth for Justice, a national violence-prevention initiative sponsored by the United States Department of Justice through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Funding is provided in part through the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority and through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the United States Department of Justice. The views and s tatements expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority, Youth for Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the United States Department of Justice, or any other supporters of the 2003 Illinois Youth Summit.