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. 2019 Oct;38(10):1727-1734.
doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00576. Epub 2019 Sep 9.

Trends In Public Opinion On US Gun Laws: Majorities Of Gun Owners And Non-Gun Owners Support A Range Of Measures

Colleen L Barry  1 , Elizabeth M Stone  2 , Cassandra K Crifasi  3 , Jon S Vernick  4 , Daniel W Webster  5 , Emma E McGinty  6
Affiliations

Trends In Public Opinion On US Gun Laws: Majorities Of Gun Owners And Non-Gun Owners Support A Range Of Measures

Colleen L Barry et al. Health Aff (Millwood). 2019 Oct.

Abstract

Gun policy is a prominent topic of debate in the 2020 US election cycle. Tracking evolving public attitudes about gun policy is critical in this context. Using data from the National Survey of Gun Policy fielded in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019 by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, we examined trends in support for more than two dozen gun policies over time by gun ownership status and political party affiliation, and across states. Most policies that we considered had majority support across the study period. We identified increases in public support over time for licensing and universal background checks of handgun purchasers, stronger regulation of gun dealers, and extreme risk protection orders. Gun owners and non-gun owners were highly supportive of requiring tests to demonstrate safe handling before carrying a concealed weapon, but there were large differences in support for other concealed carry policies by gun ownership status. A new item included in the 2019 survey showed that 84 percent of Americans supported requiring first-time gun purchasers to take a safety course. While gun policy continues to be characterized as highly polemical, large majorities of both gun owners and non-gun owners strongly support a range of measures to strengthen US gun laws.

Keywords: Firearms; Gun laws; Guns; Mass shooting; Media; Politics; Public opinion; Regulation; Violence.

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Figures

EXHIBIT 1
EXHIBIT 1. Percent of respondents who supported 18 different gun policies in 2015 and 2019
SOURCE Authors’ analysis of data for 2015 and 2019 from the National Survey of Gun Policy of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research. NOTES “Background check system report for mental illness” refers to checking whether people have been involuntarily committed for mental illness or declared mentally incompetent. “Extreme risk protection order” policies refer to whether law enforcement officers or family members can petition a court to have guns temporarily removed from a person who exhibits dangerous behavior. DVRO is domestic violence restraining order. DWI is driving while intoxicated. DUI is driving under the influence. ATF is Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. **p < 0.05 ***p < 0.01 ****p < 0.001
EXHIBIT 2
EXHIBIT 2. Percent of respondents who supported concealed carry policies, by gun ownership status, 2019
SOURCE Authors’ analysis of data for 2019 from the National Survey of Gun Policy of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research. ****p < 0.001
EXHIBIT 3
EXHIBIT 3. Percent of respondents who supported policies on gun safety training, prohibitions on gun ownership among young people or those convicted of violent crimes or on owning untraceable guns, and ‘stand your ground’ policies, by gun ownership status, 2019
SOURCE Authors’ analysis of data for 2019 from the National Survey of Gun Policy of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research. NOTE The last policy listed is a “stand your ground” policy. **p < 0.05 ***p < 0.01 ****p < 0.001
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