2014 Political Culture of Democracy

Key Findings

• Crime and insecurity reached a decade-high level. In 2014, about one in three people across the Americas named crime, violence, or insecurity as their country's most pressing problem — and nearly half expressed dissatisfaction with local police performance. Trust in the courts and the justice system fell to a 10-year low.
• Material gains haven't translated into financial confidence. Households across the region own more basic goods than at any point in the past decade, yet the share of people who say they're struggling to make ends meet remains unchanged — and views of the national economy have turned more negative.
• Trust in democratic institutions declined across the board. Support for democracy as a system of government fell to one of its lowest levels in a decade, trust in elections dropped more than in any other institution, and support for “hardline” responses to crime rose significantly from 2012 to 2014.