Poll: Confidence in medical system way up; at record low for police

Nurses and healthcare workers stage a "Juneteenth action" to peacefully protest the lack of police accountability and demand justice for local communities and an end to systemic racism, in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 19. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Americans' confidence in the medical and public school systems have reached double-figure highs while confidence in law enforcement reached an all-time low, according to a new Gallup survey Wednesday.

The findings come from a Gallup public confidence tracking poll taken June 8-July 24 that initially started during the Watergate scandal in 1973. The statistics are based on the percentage of U.S. adults who said they have either "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in the institutions.

Confidence in the medical system, which covers the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, jumped 15 points over last year, from 36% to 51%. The sector -- which includes doctors, nurses and many on the front lines -- saw its greatest one-year increase since the poll started.

Confidence in public schools saw a 12-point increase to 41%. Many schools are making major adjustments to teaching as the new school year approaches, from teaching remotely or changing how they educate in the classroom. The survey result was public school's highest mark since 2004.

For police, Americans' confidence declined to a record low 48%, down 5 points from last year. It marks the first time in 27 years the mark dipped below 50%. The low mark, Gallup said, is a reflection of ongoing unrest that began with the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Other institutions that saw noticeable confidence increases over the past year include banks (+8 points to 38%), small business (+7 points to 75%) and church or organized religion (+6 points to 42%).

Gallup polled 1,200 U.S. adults for the survey, which has a margin of error of 4 points.