Poll Watch: Rasmussen (R) Survey on the School Shooting in Connecticut

Rasmussen (R) Poll on the Sandy Hook Shooting 

Does the United States need stricter gun control laws? 

• Yes 47%
• No 45%
  

Note: This is the highest level of support for more gun control ever measured by Rasmussen Reports. It’s two points higher than the support measured in April 2007 following the killings at Virginia Tech. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Democrats think the United States needs stricter gun control laws. Sixty-four percent (64%) of Republicans disagree. Unaffiliated adults are fairly evenly divided.

Does the United States need to take more action to identify and treat mental health issues? 

• Yes 86%
• No 7%
  

Does the United States need to place limits on violent movies and video games? 

• Yes 49%
• No 37%
• Not sure 13%

Note: Most adults under 40 oppose limits on violent video games and movies. Most older adults are in favor of such limits. 
 
Can schools ever be made completely safe against violence like the incident in Connecticut? 

• Yes 20%
• No 64%
• Not sure 15%
  

Note: That’s slightly more optimism than Americans felt in February following school shootings in an Ohio high school. Just 12% thought it was possible to make schools completely safe from such violence at that time. Last summer, only nine percent (9%) thought it was possible to make public spaces that safe following the shootings in a Colorado movie theater.
 
What will do the most to reduce the number of mass murders like the school shootings in Connecticut—stricter gun control laws, more action to treat mental health issues, or limits on violent movies and video games? 

• More action to treat mental health issues 48%
• Stricter gun control laws 27%
• Limits on violent movies and video games 15%
• Undecided 10%

Note: While 57% of Republicans and 54% of adults not affiliated with either major party think more action to treat mental health issues will do the most to prevent incidents like the one in Connecticut, a plurality (45%) of Democrats sees stricter gun control laws as the most effective approach. 

National survey of 1,000 adults was conducted December 17-18, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.

Inside the numbers: 

Women are stronger advocates than men of more mental health treatment, stricter gun control and limits on violent movies and video games. Fifty-four percent (54%) of women favor tougher gun control laws; 54% of men are opposed.

Sixty-four percent (64%) of Americans who own a gun oppose stricter gun control laws. Sixty-one percent (61%) of those who say they don’t own a gun favor such laws.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of Americans have been following news stories about the recent shootings at an elementary school in Connecticut at least somewhat closely. This includes 51% who have been following very closely.