Survey | Politics | Health

apm surveY: AMERICANS’ views on KEY GUN POLICIES

Our nonpartisan, nationally representative survey asked American adults about their opinions on gun policies and asked gun owners (and those who live in gun-owning households) about their habits.

The APM Research Lab conducted this survey jointly with two partners: Guns & America and Call to Mind. Data was collected by SSRS of Glen Mills, Penn. between July 16 and 21, 2019—just two weeks before the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.

A hand gun on a table

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

…ON “RED FLAG” LAWS

Americans, regardless of party affiliation, overwhelmingly support extreme risk protection orders—commonly known as “red flag” laws—that allow courts to temporarily prevent “high-risk” individuals from accessing their firearms.

 
Allow FAMILY MEMBERS to seek court orders to temporarily take away guns if they feel a gun owner may harm themselves or others.
 

77% of Americans think FAMILIES should be able to request emergency protection orders from law enforcement.

Allow THE POLICE to seek court orders to temporarily take away guns if they feel a gun owner may harm themselves or others.
 

And 70% of Americans think POLICE should directly be able to pursue emergency protection orders.

…ON DEATHS CAUSED BY FIREARMS

Americans are mostly unaware that suicides account for the majority of gun deaths in the United States.

 
Question: “As far as you know, which of the following is responsible for the most gun deaths in the United States?”

Most Americans believe that homicides are responsible for the largest number of gun deaths in the United States.

A quarter of those surveyed said mass shootings account for the highest number of gun-related deaths.

One-third of those surveyed said murders (other than mass shootings) kill the most number of people.

…but according to CDC data, suicides account for 60% of all gun-related deaths in the United States, but less than a quarter of people surveyed chose that answer.

 

Causes of gun related deaths in the United States from 2000–2018

Number of deaths
Year
Source: APM Research Lab analysis of suicides, homicides and unintentional discharges as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and mass shooting data as reported by the Gun Violence Archive.
Note: **Virtually all of the mass shootings reported by the Gun Violence Archive are a subset of the homicides reported by the CDC, which does not report mass shootings. Mass shootings are included to provide a point of comparison to the three other types of gun-related fatalities.
 

…ON MANDATING THAT GUNS BE STORED WITH LOCKS IN PLACE

More than three-quarters of Americans—including two-thirds of gun owners—support mandating that guns be stored with locks in place.

 
Question: “Please tell me whether you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose …Mandating that guns are stored with a lock in place.”

Republicans and gun owners—two groups that are traditionally wary of restrictions on gun ownership—widely support mandates to lock guns. Nearly seven in 10 Republicans and two in three gun owners support such measures.

READ MORE…

More than two-thirds of gun owners (or people who live in gun-owning households) lock their guns when they store them.

 
Question: “When you are not using your gun/the gun in your household is not in use, how often is it stored in a locked gun safe, locked cabinet, or other type of locked case?”
 

…however, almost one in five never locks his or her guns.

 
 
 

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