Poll Watch: Rasmussen (R) Survey on Gun Control

Rasmussen (R) Poll on Gun Control 

Should there be a ban on the purchase of semi-automatic and assault type weapons?

• Yes 55%
• No 36%
  

National survey of 1,000 adults was conducted December 19-20, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.

Inside the numbers: 

Most women favor a ban on the sale of semi-automatic and assault-type weapons. Men are evenly divided.

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Democrats and 52% of those not affiliated with either major party support a ban; 59% of Republicans do not.

Forty-three percent (43%) of those who have a gun in the family favor a ban on semi-automatic and assault-type weapons, compared to 69% of those in non-gun owning families.

Poll Watch: CNN/ORC Survey on Gun Rights

CNN/ORC Poll on Gun Rights 

Please tell me whether you would generally favor or oppose each of the following proposals which some people have made to reduce the amount of gun violence: 

A ban on the manufacture, sale and possession of semi-automatic assault guns, such as the AK-47 

• Favor 62%
• Oppose 37%

Among Men

• Favor 50%
• Oppose 49%

Among Women

• Favor 74%
• Oppose 25%

A ban on the sale and possession of equipment known as high-capacity or extended ammunition clips, which allow some guns to shoot more than 10 bullets before they need to be reloaded

• Favor 62%
• Oppose 37%

Among Men

• Favor 53%
• Oppose 46%

Among Women

• Favor 71%
• Oppose 29%

Limiting the number of guns an individual can own

• Favor 48%
  
• Oppose 52%

Among Men

• Favor 35%
• Oppose 65%

Among Women

• Favor 61%
• Oppose 39%

Have the shootings in Connecticut made you more likely to support stricter gun control laws, less likely to support stricter gun control laws, or has your opinion on gun control not changed as a result of the shootings in Connecticut? 

• More likely 43% 
• Less likely 7% 
• No change 50%

Among Men

• More likely 35% 
• Less likely 10% 
• No change 55%

Among Women

• More likely 50% 
• Less likely 4% 
• No change 45%

A background check on anyone attempting to purchase a gun in order to determine whether the prospective buyer has been convicted of a felony 

• Favor 95%
• Oppose 5%

Preventing certain people, such as convicted felons or people with mental health problems, from owning guns 

• Favor 92%
• Oppose 8%

Requiring gun owners to register their guns with the local government 

• Favor 78%
• Oppose 22%

Which of the following statements comes closest to your view: 

• There should be no restrictions on owning guns 13% 
• There should be some restrictions on owning guns 71% 
• All guns should be illegal for everyone except police and authorized personnel 15%

Survey of 620 adults was conducted December 17-18, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points. Party ID: 34% Democrat; 25% Republican; 41% Independent.

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.

Poll Watch: Rasmussen (R) Survey on the Colorado Shooting and the Death Penalty

Rasmussen (R) Poll on the Shooting in Aurora and the Death Penalty 

If a jury believes a suspected criminal is mentally ill, should that suspect be punished less severely than someone who is not mentally ill? 

• Yes 25% 
• No 55% 
• Undecided 20% 

If convicted, should the suspect in the Colorado shooting incident receive the death penalty?

• Yes 66% 
• No 24% 

Do you favor or oppose the death penalty? 

• Favor 67% 
• Oppose 25% 

National survey of 1,000 adults was conducted July 24-25, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points. 

Inside the numbers: 

Men support the death penalty even more strongly than women do. The majority of both groups also think the Colorado suspect should get the death penalty if convicted.  

Seventy-six percent (76%) of Republicans and 73% of adults not affiliated with either political party are in favor of the death penalty, a view shared by 53% of Democrats.  

Most Americans across the demographic board agree that a mentally ill-suspected criminal should not be treated less severely than one who is not. 

Eight-six percent (86%) of Americans have been following news reports about the recent shooting incident in Colorado at least somewhat closely, including 45% have been following them very closely.