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Poll: Most Mass. Residents Back Shutdown Of Area For Marathon Manhunt

A strong majority of Massachusetts residents agree with the decision to lock down the Boston area during the search for one of the suspected Boston Marathon bombers, according to a new poll.

The poll, from MassINC, finds that 91 percent of residents support authorities' decision to implement a "shelter in place" request and halt MBTA service during the manhunt.

The survey of 500 residents was conducted April 23 to April 27, and its margin of error is 4.4 percentage points.

The poll also finds that respondents are more concerned about public safety than the potential for restrictions on civil liberties.

The MassINC Polling Group's president, Steve Koczela, told WBUR residents might not be concerned about intrusions on civil liberties because the bombings were so recent.

"It just happened so it's near to them in both space and time, and this number could potentially change in a year or two," he said, "but right here right now, given what's just happened, people's concerns are really that the government won't go far enough, rather than that they'll go too far."

This program aired on April 30, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.

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