Insights & Analysis
Evidence-based commentary examining where America’s stated values collide with political behavior, public policy, culture, and everyday life.
Eight lenses for understanding moral strain
Browse the latest reporting below or use these themes to understand how each story fits the Index.
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$167 Billion Bet on Sports in 2025. The Research on Who Pays Is Brutal.
Americans bet $166.9 billion on legal sports betting in 2025. Research linking mobile betting to lower credit scores and more bankruptcies, plus a helpline…
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82% Rearrested Within 10 Years: America’s Prisons Are Failing Victims and Inmates Alike
Nearly 1.9 million Americans were behind bars at the end of 2023 and 3.7 million more were on probation or parole. BJS found 82%…
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17 Veterans a Day: What the VA’s Latest Suicide Report Says About Our Gratitude
6,398 veterans died by suicide in 2023, about 17.5 a day, and 61% were not in VA care in their final year. What the…
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4 in 10 High Schoolers Report Persistent Sadness. The Adults Built This.
CDC data shows persistent sadness among high schoolers rose from 30% to 40% in a decade, with more than half of girls affected. The…
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2,000 Children Died of Abuse or Neglect in One Year. The Official Count Is the Floor.
HHS confirmed 546,159 child maltreatment victims and an estimated 2,000 deaths in fiscal 2023. The CDC says at least 1 in 7 children experience…
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Media Trust Hit 28%. Distrust Isn’t the Same as Thinking Clearly.
Gallup says just 28% of Americans trust the media, a record low. Pew and the Reuters Institute agree on the direction. But distrust hasn’t…