CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll #1, April 1998

This poll is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. This survey, administered to youths aged 13-17, solicited opinions of President Bill Clinton and his handling of the presidency. The teens were also asked to comment on the greatest problem facing their generation, racial problems in their schools and communities, the presence of sexual activity, alcohol, drugs, and tobacco in the school system, and how frequently they read the newspaper and watched television. A series of questions covered the topic of sex, specifically, whether respondents believed it was okay to engage in premarital sex, whether condoms should be distributed in school, and how they felt about same-sex relations. In addition, respondents were asked about their relationships with their parents, including the ability of their parents to relate to them, pressures placed on them by their parents, how often a parent was actually in the home with them, and whether they communicated with their parents about difficult topics, including sex and the use of alcohol and drugs. A series of questions addressed issues and problems in the student's school. Topics covered cheating, teenage drivers, part-time employment, the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana, computer access, beeper/pager ownership, body-piercing, sex, tattoos, suicide, HIV virus/AIDS, firearms, racial relations, sexual harassment, and homosexuality. Respondents were asked for their opinions on trying juveniles as adults in the legal system and on the alleged affair between President Clinton and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Respondents were also asked about their self-image, their involvement in extracurricular and volunteer activities, whether they received an allowance, whether they played a musical instrument, and what their post-high school plans were. Background information on respondents includes age, race, ethnicity, sex, political party, religion, number of siblings, demographics of the school attended, grade in school, and the education level, marital status, and employment status of the parents.