From: Thomas A Chandler, [EMAIL PROTECTED] August 28, 2000 Gun Control / Brady Law Will It Stop the Violence? 82% of Americans surveyed in a nationwide Portrait of America (POA) poll believe it�s too easy for criminals to purchase handguns, and nearly 61% believe children can too easily purchase handguns. But the POA poll also finds Americans don�t think the federal government�s most high-profile attempt to stop illegal gun purchases, and reduce gun violence -- the Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act -- is working. By a slim 51% majority, the POA poll shows Americans believe the Act has been ineffective at reducing violent crime, and 56% believe it has had no impact on reducing the number of homicides in the U.S. (The Brady Act established mandatory background checks and waiting periods for anyone seeking to purchase a gun from a federally licensed firearms dealer.) While more Republicans surveyed, 59%, believe the law has fallen short of its goals, a plurality of Democrats,44%, and Independents, 49%, also think the Brady Act has failed. Click HERE to let us know what you think . To read comments from other visitors, click HERE A recent study by Drs. Jens Ludwig and Philip J. Cook in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) supports the public�s concerns. Their paper questions the effectiveness of the Brady Act, stating that while it may have reduced suicides among adults 55 years old and over (in part because of the mandatory waiting period for purchasing a handgun), it has not played a measurable role in reducing homicides � one of the Act�s stated goals. Co-author Ludwig attributes the Brady Act�s apparent failure to reduce homicides to what he calls an "enormous loophole" in the law that effectively exempts gun shows and other venues from regulation that make up roughly 30% to 40% of all domestic gun sales. In Ludwig�s opinion, such loopholes allow felons and children to purchase guns from unlicensed dealers and should be closed by extending the Brady law to cover events like gun shows. The POA poll shows most Americans disagree. 58% think stricter enforcement of existing laws, rather than passing new ones, is a better way to reduce handgun violence. The same number believe imposing longer jail terms will also work, and 50% believe the death penalty is an effective deterrent to gun-related crime. While the public is generally against new gun laws, they are not averse to toughening gun ownership rules. The POA poll found a strong majority of Americas, 72%, believe regulations like mandatory gun registration might help decrease handgun violence. Support for registration cuts across party lines, enjoying the support of 66% of Republicans, 78% Democrats, and 71% of Independents. Sixty-six percent of all respondents believe having trigger locks on handguns will also help reduce homicides. While Americans believe some sort of gun regulation is necessary to curb violence, they oppose an outright ban on handgun sales. While only 43% of poll respondents own a handgun, 69% believe adults should be allowed to own guns -- and a 50% majority believes that conditions would be more dangerous if gun ownership was made illegal for most Americans. Take a look at our headlines on other Rasmussen Research polling topics at the Portrait of America home page. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- Question Wording: 1. Should law-abiding American adults be allowed to own guns? 69% Yes 20% No 11% Not sure 2. Should trigger-locks be required on all guns sold in the United States? 67% Yes 23% No 10% Not sure 3. Which would be better government policy-requiring trigger locks on all guns sold in the United States or giving away free trigger locks to any gun owner who wants them? 51% Requiring trigger locks 41% Giving away trigger locks 8% Not sure 4. Suppose it became illegal for most Americans to own guns. Would the country be safer or more dangerous? 28% Safer 51% More dangerous 10% No impact 12% Not sure 5. Should gun owners be required to register their guns? 72% Yes 21% No 7% Not sure 6. Should gun owners be required to notify the government when they move so that officials can keep track of which households have guns? 46% Yes 44% No 10% Not sure 7. Is it too easy in America for criminals to purchase guns? 82% Yes 9% No 8% Not sure 8. Is it too easy in America for children to purchase guns? 61% Yes 23% No 17% Not sure 9. Do you, or anyone in your household, own a gun? 43% Yes 52% No 6% Not sure 10. From what you know, has the Brady Law been effective at reducing the level of crimes committed with guns? 23% Yes 51% No 27% Not sure 11. Has the Brady Law reduced the number of handgun homicides in the United States? 20% Yes 56% No 24% Not sure 12. Which would do more to reduce gun related violence: passing new gun control laws or stricter enforcement of existing laws? 21% New laws 67% Stricter enforcement 11% Not sure 13. Okay, which of these choices would do more to reduce gun related violence: longer jail terms for crimes involving guns or new gun control laws? 58% Longer jail terms 29% New laws 13% Not sure 14. Which of these options would do more to reduce gun related crime: increased use of the death penalty or new gun control laws? 50% Death penalty 35% New laws 15% Not sure 15. Which of the following would be the most effective at reducing gun related violence: new gun control laws; stricter enforcement of existing laws; longer jail terms for crimes involving guns; or increased use of the death penalty? 16% New laws 43% Stricter enforcement 19% Longer jail terms 17% Death penalty 6% Not sure 16. Which of the following would be the most effective at reducing gun related violence: new gun control laws; stricter enforcement of existing laws; longer jail terms for crimes involving guns; or increased use of the death penalty? 16% New laws 43% Stricter enforcement 19% Longer jail terms 17% Death penalty 6% Not sure 17. Should there be stricter gun control laws in inner cities than in rural areas of the country? 30% Yes 53% No 17% Not sure Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
