When citizens trust the people and institutions in their community, they tend to engage in other activities that contribute to civic health.

Although the New York Civic Health Index did not measure trust indicators for 2010, past national reports on civic health contain important information regarding the trust Americans place in one another and in institutions. The 2009 Civic Health Index illustrated that Americans have low levels of trust in several types of institutions. 14 Although the majority of Americans believe people are honest and helpful, Americans report lower levels of trust in institutions. In particular, there is a lack of faith in government.

Some Americans reported having a great deal of confidence in small businesses (31%) and the scientic community (25%). On the other end of the spectrum, only 6% had a great deal of confidence in either the executive branch or Congress. As discussed in the 2009 America's Civic Health Index , the current economic crisis may play a role in American confidence in companies and banks; only 6% of Americans reported a great deal of confidence in banks and financial institutions and only 5% in major companies.

TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS: The CPIS found similar results regarding trust in institutions. Respondents were asked how much they trusted different groups of people. Local government in particular inspired low levels of confidence. Only 9% reported having a lot of confidence in their local ofcials, and 16% reported that they do not have any trust for local government. Of respondents 65 and older, 15% reported having a lot of confidence in local government, as compared with 4% of respondents 18–to–34 years of age.

The local police force, however, is a trusted institution among most New Yorkers: 83% believe that they can trust the police in their local community, and 45% reported a lot of trust in local police. A similar age pattern is found for trust in police; 62% of respondents over 65 reported a lot of trust in police while only 35% of 18–to–34 year olds did so. About half of homeowners and almost a third of renters reported a lot of trust in police.

TRUST IN INDIVIDUALS: Generally speaking, 44% of New Yorkers surveyed in the CPIS believed that people can be trusted. On a community level, most New Yorkers place trust in their neighbors. Only 16% reported trusting their neighbors only a little or not at all. Other groups that are trusted by New Yorkers are attendees at their place of worship and people who work in local stores. Almost half have a lot of trust in their fellow attendees, and more than 80% have somewhat or a lot of trust in people who work in the stores where they shop.

Across the measures of trust in the CPIS , homeowners were more likely to report having a lot of trust in the specic groups. Almost twice as many homeowners as compared with renters reported a lot of trust in their neighbors. Similarly, 54% of homeowners and 36% of renters reported a lot of trust in the people who attend their places of worship, and renters were less likely to place trust in workers at local stores.