AP-NORC Poll: Most inside US want stricter firearm laws

AP-NORC Poll: Most inside US want stricter firearm laws

CHICAGO (AP) — Most U.S. adults exist convinced by firearm violence is increasing nationwide accompanied by every one one other accompanied by want to see firearm laws made stricter, according to a new poll that finds broad condition support for a variety of firearm restrictions, including numerous that are supported by majorities of Republicans accompanied by every one one other accompanied by firearm owners.

The poll by the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy accompanied by every one one other accompanied by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research excessively shows majorities of U.S. adults view both reducing firearm violence accompanied by every one one other accompanied by protecting firearm ownership while important issues.

The poll was conducted inside the centre of July 28 accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Aug. 1, following a twine of deadly pile shootings — from a New York grocery store to a educational organization inside Texas accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a July 4 parade inside Illinois — accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a 2020 spike inside firearm killings that have increased watching on the matter of firearm violence. Overall, 8 inside 10 Americans perceive that firearm violence is increasing around the country, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by concerning two-thirds speak it's increasing inside their state, though less than fifty per cent of exist convinced by it's increasing inside their community, the poll shows.

The question of how to place an extremity to such violence has lengthy divided politicians accompanied by every one one other accompanied by numerous voters, making it difficult to alter firearm laws. In June, a conservative majority on the Supreme Court expanded firearm rights, finding a constitutional fair to convey firearms inside condition for self-defense.

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Later that same month, President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan firearm safety bill. The package, approved inside the wake of shootings exist fond of the one that killed 19 children accompanied by every one one other accompanied by place of set of two teachers inside Uvalde, Texas, was both a measured compromise accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the most significant invoice addressing firearm violence to exist approved inside Congress inside decades — an sign of how intractable the matter has become.

The poll found 71% of Americans speak firearm laws should exist stricter, including concerning fifty per cent of of Republicans, the vast majority of Democrats, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a majority of those inside gun-owning households.

Nicole Whitelaw, 29, is a Democrat accompanied by every one one other accompanied by firearm owner who grew up hunting accompanied by every one one other accompanied by mark shooting inside upstate New York accompanied by her strongly Republican family. Whitelaw, who now lives down Florida's Gulf Coast, supports some firearm restrictions, such while prohibiting people convicted of domestic violence from owning firearms accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a confederate rules with every one other accompanied by regulations preventing mentally ill people from purchasing guns.

She said other restrictions — such while banning sales of AR-15 rifles — are "going excessively far" accompanied by every one one other accompanied by may not find an answer to the problem. Whitelaw pointed to the the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when numerous people bought up all the toilet paper they could find.

"I exist convinced by people would begin trying to hoard guns," she said, adding that a better approach is to build smaller changes accompanied by every one one other accompanied by see what impact they have.

The poll shows bipartisan majorities of Americans support a nationwide background inspect policy for all firearm sales, a rules with every one other accompanied by regulations preventing mentally ill people from purchasing guns, allowing courts to temporarily place an extremity to people who are considered a danger to themselves or others from purchasing a gun, making 21 the lowest flat number of years to buy a firearm nationwide accompanied by every one one other accompanied by banning those who have been convicted of domestic violence from purchasing a gun.

A smaller majority of Americans — 59% — good turn a ban on the sale of AR-15 rifles accompanied by every one one other accompanied by similar semiautomatic weapons, accompanied by Democrats additional probable to support that policy than Republicans, 83% vs. 35%.

Chris Boylan, 47, from Indianapolis, opposes restrictions on guns. As a teacher for numerous years, Boylan said he has "buried additional kids than I protected from danger keeping to count" accompanied by every one one other accompanied by believes firearm violence is a greatest problem. But the Republican, who said he leans additional inside the way of Libertarian inside his personal stances, believes the matter is additional concerning intellectual health accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a too-lenient criminal justice system.

"Blaming the firearm is an oversimplification of what the issues really are," Boylan said. "It's not the gun. It's a hearts-and-minds matter to me."

The new poll finds 88% of Americans call preventing pile shootings extremely or extremely important, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by almost while numerous speak that concerning reducing firearm violence inside general. But 60% excessively speak it's extremely important to build sure that people tin own guns for personal protection.

Overall, 52% of Americans -- including 65% of Republicans accompanied by every one one other accompanied by 39% of Democrats -- speak both reducing pile shootings accompanied by every one one other accompanied by protecting the fair to own guns for personal defence extremely important.

University of Chicago professor Jens Ludwig said the poll's findings show that concerns raised by opponents of firearm restrictions are "very off base." Led by the National Rifle Association, the firearm lobby argues that some new limitations on who may have a firearm or what type of firearms may exist sold will lead to nationwide bans on all weapons accompanied by every one one other accompanied by ammunition.

The poll showed most Americans' opinions are additional nuanced accompanied by every one one other accompanied by there is support for some changes flat among Republicans, who while elected officials typically exist opposed to firearm control, said Ludwig, who excessively is director of the University of Chicago's Crime Lab.

"It should shut the door to some of the 'slippery slope' arguments," he said.

The poll excessively found that only concerning 3 inside 10 Americans support a rules with every one other accompanied by regulations allowing people to convey guns inside condition lacking a permit. Seventy-eight percent of Democrats are opposed. Among Republicans, 47% are inside good turn accompanied by every one one other accompanied by 39% are opposed.

Ervin Leach, 66, lives inside Troutman, North Carolina, northern of Charlotte, believes firearm violence is a greatest strain accompanied by every one one other accompanied by says that laws should exist a a large amount of additional strict. A Democrat, Leach said he supports measures exist fond of background checks — or what he said should exist "in-depth studies" — accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a lowest flat number of years of 21 to buy a gun.

The poll found 1 inside 5 people have experienced firearm violence themselves inside the last five years, such while actuality threatened accompanied by a firearm or a shooting victim, or had a near friend or family subscriber who has. Black accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Hispanic Americans are mostly probable to speak that they or someone near to them has experienced firearm violence.

Leach, who is Black, said the firearm violence he sees inside the report has made him additional cautious.

"I don't exist fond of people approaching me," he said. "It used to exist if someone was on the side of the road, you'd place an extremity to to help. Now, you go to assist somebody, you ability mislay your life."

All the killings have caused Leach to contemplate buying a firearm for his own protection. While he hasn't had a chance yet to obtain his firearm permit, he said, "That is my intention."

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AP Polling Reporter Hannah Fingerhut inside Washington contributed to this report.

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The poll of 1,373 adults was conducted July 28-Aug. 1 using a specimen drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to exist representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling mistake for all respondents is with every one other accompanied by or minus 3.8 percentage points.

AP-NORC Poll: Most inside US want stricter firearm laws