Prior to the Tyre Nichols video release, views of police conduct in the U.S. had improved in three of four measures, with crime an exception.

Most Black adults (63%) say voting is an extremely or very effective strategy for Black progress; only 42% say the same of protesting.

Black Americans support significant reforms to or complete overhauls of several U.S. institutions to ensure fair treatment. Yet even as they assess inequality and ideas about progress, many are pessimistic about whether society and institutions will change in ways that would reduce racism.

Black Americans are critical of key aspects of policing and criminal justice. But their views on face recognition technology are more nuanced.

Public views are tied to how these technologies would be used and what constraints would be in place.

Trust in scientists and medical scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with 29% of U.S. adults saying they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. This is down from 40% in November 2020 and 35% in January 2019, before COVID-19 emerged. Other prominent groups – including the military, police officers and public school principals – have also seen their ratings decline.

While views of and experiences with police vary substantially across demographic groups, there is support for a number of police reforms.

Amid mounting public concern about violent crime in the U.S., Americans’ attitudes about police funding in their own community have shifted.

Currently, 55% of U.S. adults express at least some support for the Black Lives Matter movement, unchanged from a year ago.

“Saddened, hurt, disgusted,” one woman in her 50s said. “Never thought I would see anything like this in my life.”