Profile of U.S. veterans is changing dramatically as their ranks decline
The share of the population with military experience – counting those who are on active duty or were in the past – has fallen by almost half since 1980.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Child marriage is rare in the U.S., though this varies by state
About 57,800 minors in the U.S. ages 15 to 17 are married – or five of every 1,000 in that age group. But the rate of child marriage varies widely between states.
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Many Americans unaware of their states’ voter ID laws
With less than a month to go before Election Day, not all American voters are aware of their states’ voter ID requirements.
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Most Americans trust the military and scientists to act in the public’s interest
Three-quarters or more of Americans are confident in the military, medical scientists and scientists in general to act in the best interests of the public. But fewer than half report similar confidence in the news media, business leaders and elected officials.
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Support for death penalty lowest in more than four decades
The share of Americans who support the death penalty for persons convicted of murder is now at its lowest point in more than four decades.
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Where the Public Stands on Religious Liberty vs. Nondiscrimination
The U.S. public expresses a clear consensus on the contentious question of whether employers who have religious objections to contraception should be required to provide it in health insurance plans for their employees.
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Most states allow religious exemptions from child abuse and neglect laws
All states prosecute parents whose children come to severe harm through neglect. But in thirty-four states (as well as the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico), there are exemptions in the civil child abuse statutes when medical treatment for a child conflicts with the religious beliefs of parents.
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Few American women have broken the glass ceiling of diplomacy
Over 4,600 U.S. ambassadors have served in foreign countries since the founding of the nation – and only 9% of them have been women.
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More minority federal judges have been appointed under Democratic than Republican presidents
Since 1945, Democratic presidents have appointed three times as many black judges, and also more Hispanic and Asian judges, to the federal bench as their Republican counterparts.
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5 key findings about global restrictions on religion
Government restrictions on religion and social hostilities related to religion decreased somewhat between 2013 and 2014, the second consecutive year of such declines.
