First-of-its-kind Research Reveals Gun Owners Overwhelmingly Support Specific Policies That Could Dramatically Reduce Gun Deaths
Four policies focused on keeping guns out of the hands of violent people could reduce gun deaths by up to 28%, but details are critical to get gun owner support
LOS ANGELES, CA (October 19, 2022) – 97Percent, a bipartisan gun safety organization, today released new academic research that found the overwhelming majority of gun owners are very concerned about the high level of gun violence in this country (66%) and more than 70% of them want to help reduce gun injuries and deaths, but their support for key laws is dependent on the specific policy provisions.
The research, led by Tufts University School of Medicine’s Dr. Michael Siegel, is the first-of-its-kind to go beyond just measuring topline support of major laws to instead examine gun owners’ views of specific policy details. “Finding the Common Ground in Gun Safety: Part 1” reveals the detailed provisions which substantially increase gun owners' support for several key policies.
The research found that the guiding principle for most gun owners is to keep guns out of the hands of people at risk of violence. Using this principle, the research identified four gun safety policies – changing the threshold for disallowing gun purchase or possession from felonies to violent misdemeanors, requiring permits for the purchase or possession of a gun, universal background checks, and red flag laws – that together could reduce gun homicides by up to 28% and suicide rates by more than 6%. Read the report summary here.
“It is critical to give a voice to American gun owners in the gun safety conversation and quantifiably showcase what they support. It’s equally critical to evaluate which policies actually work,” said Dr. Michael Siegel. “Our research identified an intersection between these two fundamental needs and represents an opportunity for real compromise that could save thousands of lives.”
“The myth of an intractable divide on gun safety in our country is just that: a myth,” said 97Percent co-founder Adam Miller. “We are proud to present this unique research that not only proves there is common ground, but also actually defines that common ground and offers a concrete path forward. Gun owners want to be a part of the solution to reduce gun violence, and any solution must include their perspective and expertise.”
This new research identifies tangible areas of common ground between gun owners and non-gun owners on ways to reduce the more than 47,000 gun-related deaths the U.S. saw in 2021 according to new data from the CDC, and comes in the wake of a Supreme Court decision that opens up new challenges to restrictions on who can carry guns where and after Congress passed the most significant gun legislation in three decades this summer.
Additional key findings include:
Republican gun owners overwhelmingly support keeping guns from people at high risk of violence, with nearly 8 in 10 (78%) supporting barring people convicted of domestic violence from owning a gun.
Changing the standard from felonies to violent misdemeanors is the single most effective policy to prevent firearm homicides and could reduce gun-related homicides by 19%. Today, federal law only prohibits individuals convicted of a felony from purchasing or owning a gun.
Including a fine for people who dishonestly use red flag laws increases gun owner support for the overall law by 12%.
The research also examined gun owners’ principles, perceptions, and characteristics to paint a more accurate picture of the modern gun owner. Key findings include: 80% of gun owners believe people convicted of a violent crime should not be able to purchase or possess a gun; gun owners underestimate support for gun safety laws from their fellow gun owners by a 15% margin and those who do are much less likely to support the laws themselves; and nearly 9 out of 10 gun owners (88%) are not a member of a gun rights organization.
The research consisted of three components: a nationally representative sample of 1,078 gun owners; a focused literature review identifying laws demonstrated by empirical research that are the most effective in reducing gun violence; and 96 focus group and interview sessions with gun owners and non-gun owners, as well as gun rights and gun safety organizations.
97Percent will release part two of the report examining the core four policies in more detail next month.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Stephanie Genuardi Cunnane
stephanie@97percent.us
215-896-8193
###
About 97Percent
97Percent is a bipartisan group of gun owners and non-gun owners united in our mission to reduce gun deaths in America, while respecting the Second Amendment. We believe the way to do that is by changing the conversation around gun safety to include gun owners, conducting innovative research, and leveraging technology to make our communities safer.