A poll conducted from Dec. 5 to Dec. 9, 2007 by a telephone interview of 1,133 adults showed that Americans still largely support legalized abortion, but increasingly believe it should be harder to get and be regulated by stricter laws.
New York Times/CBS News conducts a bimonthly poll containing the question: "Which of these comes closest to your view? Abortion should be generally available to those who want it; Abortion should be available but under stricter limits than it is now; or Abortion should not be permitted."
The results from the last three polls are as follows:
Jul. 2007 Sept. 2007 Dec. 2007
Generally available 41% 34% 36%
Stricter limits 34% 39% 43%
Not be permitted 22% 25% 18%
Not sure 2% 2% 3%
Another similar CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll was carried out in October, 2007.
When asked the question, "Do you think abortion should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?" 23% said Always Legal, 54% said Sometimes Legal, and 22% said Always Illegal.
But when asked, "Regardless of whether you think abortion should be allowed or not, do you personally believe having an abortion is wrong?" 60% said Yes, 36% said No, and 4% were unsure.
The latest results of both polls indicate the pro-life message has begun to influence more Americans in recent years.
