Table 1. Public Support for Gun Policies in 2013, Overall and by Gun Ownership (N=2703)

Item

Overall(N=2703)

 

White(N=2161)

 

Black(N=168)

 

Hispanic(N=226)

% Favor

2

 Assault Weapon and Ammunition Policies

Banning the sale of military-style, semi-automatic assault weapons thatare capable of shooting more than 10 rounds of ammunition withoutreloading?69 68 77 65Banning the sale of large-capacity ammunition clips or magazinesthat allow some guns to shoot more than 10 bullets beforereloading?68 68 75 68Banning the sale of large-capacity ammunition clips or magazinesthat allow some guns to shoot more than 20 bullets beforereloading?69 69 73 68Banning the possession of military-style, semi-automatic assaultweapons that are capable of shooting more than 10 rounds of ammunition without reloading if the government is required to paygun owners the fair market value of their weapons?56 54 72 57Banning the possession of large capacity ammunition clips ormagazines that allow some guns to shoot more than 10 bulletsbefore reloading if the government is required to pay gun owners thefair market value of their ammunition clips?55 53 68 56

Prohibited Person Policies

Prohibiting a person convicted of two or more crimes involving alcoholor drugs within a three-year period from having a gun for 10 years?

 

75 77 74 66Prohibiting a person convicted of violating a domestic violencerestraining order from having a gun for 10 years?

 

81 82 77 77Prohibiting a person convicted of a serious crime as a juvenile fromhaving a gun for 10 years?

 

83 85 78 78Prohibiting a person under the age of 21 from having a handgun?

 

70 67 78 68Prohibiting a person on the terror watch-list from having a gun? 86 86 82 86Prohibiting people who have been convicted of each of these crimesfrom having a gun for 10 years:Public display of a gun in a threatening manner excluding self-defense 71 77 56 59Domestic violence 74 78 60 67Assault and battery that does not result in serious injury or involve aLethal weapon53 55 51 48Drunk and disorderly conduct38 37 39 35Carrying a concealed gun without a permit58 60 50 54Indecent exposure 26 24 28 31

Background Check Policies

Requiring a background check system for all gun sales to make sure apurchaser is not legally prohibited from having a gun?

 

89 90 83 87

 

Increased federal funding to states to improve reporting of peopleprohibited by law from having a gun to the background check system?66 66 72 67Allowing law enforcement up to 5 business days, if needed, tocomplete a background check for gun buyers?

3

 76 76 81 75

Policies Affecting Gun Dealers

Allowing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to temporarily

take away a gun dealer’s license if an audit reveals record

-keepingviolations and the dealer cannot account for 20 or more of his guns?85 86 79 83Allowing cities to sue licensed gun dealers when there is strong

evidence that the gun dealer’s careless sales practices allowed many

criminals to obtain guns?

 

73 73 79 68Allowing the information about which gun dealers sell the most gunsused in crimes to be available to the police and the public so thatthose gun dealers can be prioritized for greater oversight?69 68 71 66Requiring a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison for aperson convicted of knowingly selling a gun to someone who cannotlegally have a gun?

 

76 77 72 72

Other Gun Policies

Requiring a person to obtain a license from a local law enforcementagency before buying a gun to verify their identity and ensure thatthey are not legally prohibited from having a gun?77 76 85 76Providing government funding

for research to develop and test ‘smartguns’ designed to fire only when held by the owner of the gun or other

authorized user?44 42 55 47Requiring by law that a person lock up the guns in their home whennot in use to prevent handling by children or teenagers without adultsupervision?

 

67 66 74 68

GUN CONTROL POLICIES RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH (Gun ControlSurvey)Background Check Policies

Requiring states to report a person to the background check systemwho is prohibited from buying a gun due either to involuntarycommitment to a hospital for psychiatric treatment or to beingdeclared mentally incompetent by a court of law?85 89 82 82Requiring health care providers to report people who threaten toharm themselves or others to the background check system toprevent them from having a gun for six months?75 74 75 72Requiring the military to report a person who has been rejected fromservice due to mental illness or drug or alcohol abuse to thebackground check system to prevent them from having a gun?79 80 77 76

Other Gun Policies

 

Allowing police officers to search for and remove guns from a person,without a warrant, if they believe the person is dangerous due to amental illness, emotional instability, or a tendency to be violent?53 51 61 54Allowing people who have lost the right to have a gun due to mentalillness to have that right restored if they are determined not to bedangerous?32 31 3128

Government Spending

Increasing government spending on mental health screening andtreatment as a strategy to reduce gun violence?60 59 73 58Increasing government spending on drug and alcohol abuse screeningand treatment as a strategy to reduce gun violence?44 40 59 40