Despite lower crime rates, support for gun rights increases
In December 2014, the balance of opinion flipped: For the first time, more Americans say protecting gun rights (52%) is more important than controlling gun ownership (46%).
A public opinion trend that matters: Priorities for gun policy
Surveys have found a shift in gun policy attitudes over time. Here's a look at how public opinion on the subject is measured.
The demographics and politics of gun-owning households
Americans with young children in their home are just as likely as other adults to have a gun in their household.
5 facts about the NRA and guns in America
#5: 37% of adults reported having a gun in their household in 2013.
As 2014 brings new state laws, a look at public opinion on the issues
Every new year means adding thousands of new state laws to the books. This year’s wide range includes everything from tanning bed age limits (Illinois), to a new ban on selling shark fins (Delaware). While most new laws represent incremental change, sometimes state laws can also signal broader movement on a public policy issue or […]
Chart of the Week: Most new gun laws since Newtown ease restrictions
In the year since the Newtown school shootings, most new state gun laws have loosened rather than tightened restrictions.
A year after Newtown, little change in public opinion on guns
After the horrific shootings at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., a year ago claiming the lives of 20 children and six adults, there was a sense in the country – especially among gun-control supporters -- that the tragedy would be different from similar ones in the past and push the nation to action. But ultimately, a sustained change in public opinion did not materialize, and a bill to tighten gun laws died in the Senate.
Colorado recall points to greater intensity among gun-rights supporters
Supporters of gun-rights tend to feel more strongly about their position, and more willing to act on it politically, than backers of gun-control legislation.
About four-in-ten Americans live in a household where there is a gun
About four-in-ten Americans report having a gun in their household, either their own or someone else’s.
The public’s predictions on immigration, gun control bills this year
There’s a pretty good chance that immigration legislation will become law this year. The prospects for enacting a gun control bill are not nearly as promising, according to the American public.
