We conducted a study of young people's attitudes toward race in late 1992 in Miami. The tri-ethnic population of 434 teenagers included 109 blacks (25 percent), 102 whites (24 percent), and 223 Hispanics (51 percent). The teens responded to questions about interracial relations as well as about subjects like immigration, welfare, legalization of drugs, and community-police relations. They rated statements on a 5-point scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree.
Is interracial dating wrong?
Regardless of race, most teens disagreed or strongly disagreed that interracial marriage was wrong. About two-thirds of the teens in each group disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement, “It is wrong to date a person of another race.”
Too many immigrants in Miami?
When asked if too many immigrants were coming to Miami, about 68 percent of the white respondents agreed or strongly agreed while 44 percent of the blacks and 49 percent of the Hispanics agreed or strongly agreed that too many immigrants were coming.
Does hard work pay?
When asked if a person in the United States could achieve his or her goals by hard work, over 75 percent of the Hispanic teens agreed. Most blacks (61 percent) and whites (67 percent) also agreed. Of those who disagreed or strongly disagreed, relatively more (20 percent) were black.
Do welfare recipients prefer welfare to work?
Blacks rejected this view more so than did Hispanics or whites. About 50 percent of the black respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed whereas 39 percent of the whites and 32 percent of the Hispanics disagreed.
Are riots justified?
Sixty-one percent of whites, 61 percent of Hispanics, and 45 percent of blacks said that the riots in Los Angeles were not justified. A significant number of each group (26 percent of blacks, 24 percent of whites, and 26 percent of the Hispanics) were neutral. Twenty-six percent of the blacks compared to 12 percent of the whites and 11 percent of the Hispanics agreed or strongly agreed that the riots were justified.
Should drugs be legalized?
All three groups were opposed to the legalization of cocaine and marijuana (73 percent of blacks, 64 percent of Hispanics, and about 55 percent of whites). Relatively more white teens (25 percent) were in favor of legalizing drugs. Of those who were in favor, significantly more males (70 percent) than females (58 percent) agreed that cocaine and marijuana should be legalized.
Do police discriminate?
The teens were asked if they thought white police officers treated members of their own race better than they did people of other races. About 68 percent of blacks believed white police officers discriminate racially. Among Hispanics, 59 percent agreed or strongly agreed with this view. Forty-four percent of the white teens agreed or strongly agreed that white police officers treat members of their own ethnic groups better than they do others.
