Date: Mon, 16 Oct 1995 12:11:04 -0700 (PDT)
From: "National Inst. on Firearms & Society" <[n--s] at [nifs.org]>
Subject: GUN CONTROL SURVEY BY NIFS
NOTE: If your maillist is not included, please inform us at:
[a--m--n] at [nifs.org]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON FIREARMS & SOCIETY
OPINION SURVEY
Copyright (c) 1995 The National Institute on Firearms & Society
SEPTEMBER 28, 1995
GUN CONTROL AND THE SECOND AMENDMENT DEBATE
PRESS CLUB OF SAN FRANCISCO
Fielding Greaves, Lt. Col., USA (Ret.)
John R. Heisse II, Esq., Legal Community Against Violence
Dirk Olin, Editor, California Lawyer Magazine (Moderator)
======================================================
The National Institute on Firearms & Society is a
nonpartisan, nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation
based in the San Francisco Bay Area, exempt from
taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code.
The mission of the NIFS is to provide policymakers
and the public with objective, independent information
on firearms and their relation to society, focusing
on practical research into the issues of contemporary
criminal gun violence. The Institute is neither pro-gun
nor anti-gun, and is not affiliated with any lobbyist or
special interest group.
The Institute fulfills its mission by sponsoring
research projects, academic conferences, scholarly
publications and educational programs.
This report summarizes the results of an unscientific,
casual survey of the opinions of those persons who
attended the above-described debate and completed the
survey. Neither the survey nor the surveyed group was
designed to produce information that could be applied
to any other group. Any pattern that emerges applies
only to this group.
The results of the survey are presented in two reports.
The report below includes a complete copy of the survey
itself, and a summary of the answers provided by the
respondents, with calculated percentages (rounded off).
The second report is a table of raw data showing each respondent's
replies to each survey question. It is in the form of a Microsoft
Excel spreadsheet attached to this document. It is also available
directly from the Institute. To obtain a free copy, send a self-
addressed stamped envelope to:
NIFS, 2504 Santa Clara Ave., Ste. 4, Alameda, CA 94501-3070.
The comments to all of the questions, including unsolicited
comments, are included below.
The group was divided along roughly equal lines,
with 20% in the middle (Q1). 11% wanted to repeal the
Second Amendment, and 16% wanted to amend it or interpret
it according to their view. 78% think at least some gun control
laws are legal and constitutional. 44% think the gun control
debate has stalled, and 64% think gun safety should be taught
in public school.
A much more complete picture emerges, however, when the raw
data is reviewed. Within the context of each individual survey,
the juxtaposition of a respondent's answers provides some
interesting and unexpected contrasts.
As interesting as the results of the survey may be, however,
the reader should remember that the results tell nothing
about anyone except the survey respondents themselves --
no general conclusions about society at large can be drawn.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
GUN CONTROL AND THE SECOND AMENDMENT SURVEY
Please answer the following questions AFTER the program:
Q1. Do you consider yourself pro-gun, anti-gun or
in the middle?
25 Pro (41%)
24 Anti (39%)
12 Middle (20%)
Q2. How did you hear about this debate?
SEE APPENDIX A (51 Responses)
Q3. How effective are gun control laws in preventing violent
crime?
8 Very (13%)
17 Somewhat (28%)
9 A Little (15%)
27 Not at all (44%)
Q4. Do you think present gun control laws are legal and
constitutional?
32 Yes (52%)
12 No (20%)
16 Some Are (26%)
1 No Response ( 2%)
Q5. Do you think the Second Amendment should be repealed?
7 Yes (11%)
51 No (84%)
3 No Response ( 5%)
Q6. Do you think the Second Amendment should be changed?
16 Yes (26%)
43 No (70%)
2 No Response ( 3%)
Q7. If Yes to #5, what change do you recommend?
SEE APPENDIX B
Q8. Did anything you heard tonight change your mind about gun
control as a solution to violent gun crime?
11 Yes (18%)
49 No (80%)
1 No Response ( 2%)
Q9. If #8 is Yes, did what you heard make you think gun
control was more effective or less effective than you thought
before?
5 More ( 8%)
6 Less (10%)
50 No Response (82%)
Q10. Did anything you heard tonight change your mind about gun
owners' rights under the Second Amendment to the Constitution?
6 Yes (10%)
54 No (88%)
1 No response ( 2%)
Q11. If #10 is Yes, do you now think gun owners have more
rights or fewer rights?
5 More ( 8%)
3 Fewer Rights ( 5%)
53 No Response (87%)
Q12. Do you think the gun control debate in society has
stalled?
27 Yes (44%)
29 No (47%)
5 No Response ( 9%)
Q13. Do you think gun safety should be taught in public schools?
39 Yes (64%)
16 No (26%)
6 No Response (10%)
About you: (NOTE: NAME NOT NECESSARY)
Q: Your Age:
SEE APPENDIX C
Q: Your gender:
31 M (51%)
26 F (43%)
4 No Response ( 6%)
Q: Highest level education:
3 HS ( 5%)
33 College (54%)
21 Grad degree (34%)
4 No Response ( 7%)
Q: Ever own a gun?
33 Yes (54%)
23 No (38%)
5 No Response ( 8%)
Q: Ever fire a gun?
48 Yes (79%)
9 No (15%)
4 No Response ( 7%)
Q: Any gun training?
41 Yes (67%)
16 No (26%)
4 No Response ( 7%)
Q: Military service?
13 Yes (21%)
41 No (67%)
7 No Response (12%)
Q: Are you a member of any pro-gun or anti-gun organization?
42 Yes (69%)
14 No (23%)
5 No Response ( 8%)
****************
* APPENDIX A *
****************
Question 2
"How did you hear about this debate?"
NOTE: Some respondents gave more than one source
12 HCI
9 Friend(s)
7 Internet
6 LCAV
4 NRA
4 Word of mouth
3 J Grant
2 Press Club
1 Paper
2 Firearms Dealer
1 Rod & Gun Club
1 GENO
1 NIFS
1 Fax
2 A group member
10 No Response
*****************
* APPENDIX B *
*****************
Question 7
"If Yes to #5 [sic], what change do you recommend?"
SURVEY 2: "Keep the right of bearing arms with license by
federal regulation."
SURVEY 3: "Make it more specific; define "militia" define
"arms"; define "the people", etc."
SURVEY 9: "Consider semantics regarding original forefathers'
concepts"
SURVEY 11: "Make it more difficult to get a gun with tougher
penalties for carrying a gun - especially teens."
SURVEY 13: "If it were changed, make it state clearly that
the right of the individual to keep and bear arms
shall not be infringed."
SURVEY 14: "Maybe clarified and strengthened, in modern
language."
SURVEY 18: "Clarify it to assure individual rights to keep
and bear arms."
SURVEY 23: "More clearly delineate between state controlled
(i.e., National Guard) and individual rights."
SURVEY 32: "Clarify that right relates only to well organized
militia."
SURVEY 39: "I don't believe the second amendment as written
contains the unbridled right for any citizen to own
any type of firearm."
SURVEY 41: "A new amendment to clarify the right to bear
arms clause."
SURVEY 52: "Made clear to protect the basic right to bear arms
some restrictions however should be allowed."
SURVEY 56: "Every part of the bill of rights should be
strictly interpreted according to Original Intent."
SURVEY 60: "Differentiate between personal defense and defense
against tyranny."
SURVEY 61: "Drop the clause concerning militias."
****************
* APPENDIX C *
****************
Respondents' Ages
Mean: 44
Range: 22 - 79
Survey Number : Age
1 : 49 28 : 37 55 : 40
2 : NR 29 : 22 56 : 52
3 : 32 30 : 50 57 : 43
4 : 46 31 : 54 58 : 50
5 : 40 32 : 56 59 : 45
6 : NR 33 : 59 60 : 49
7 : 73 34 : 58 61 : 51
8 : 56 35 : 24
9 : 70 36 : 22
10 : 50 37 : 51
11 : 37 38 : 64
12 : NR 39 : 34
13 : 30 40 : 25
14 : 38 41 : 52
15 : NR 42 : 48
16 : 29 43 : NR
17 : 48 44 : 70
18 : 62 45 : 31
19 : 26 46 : 40
20 : 30 47 : 44
21 : 41 48 : 33
22 : 42 49 : 67
23 : 79 50 : 58
24 : 35 51 : 56
25 : 31 52 : 37
26 : 22 53 : 38
27 : 33 54 : 33
****************
* NOTES *
****************
SURVEY 1
Q8: "Only a beginning"
SURVEY 2
Q13: "Never!"
SURVEY 5
Q13: "Teach conflict resolution"
SURVEY 11
Q3: "Laws are not enforced totally - however, I would like
to see laws even if they are only a drop in the bucket so
to speak. We have to do something new before our country
is totally barberic [sic]"
Q5: "I don't mind if citizens want to possess a gun in their
home. However, I am personally afraid to go in banks, ride
public transit, and on occasion I am afraid to go to work.
I teach in an urban high school as I know students can easily
get guns. Legal ones or illegal ones."
Q13: "We need to teach more how to control anger and resolve
conflicts and let students know they will go to jail for a
long time for using a gun in a crime."
SURVEY 13
Q13: "!"
SURVEY 20
Q13: "NRA No, HCI-yes"
SURVEY 23
Q3: "In present form"
Ql3: "XXXXXXXX" [sic]
SURVEY 33
Q3: "At best, irrelevant, and at worst, counterproductive."
Q6: "The right is not dependent on the amendment"
Q12: "I perceive a loss of steam on the anti-rights movement."
SURVEY 34
Q8: "We need more controls."
SURVEY 36
Q3: "The laws could be effective if whole system (state v.
State) were to change"
Q4: "YES!"
Q11: "Isn't quite easy [sic] for ANY gun owner to use
their gun? Legally or illegally? Until another incidence
[sic] occurs and more people die?"
Q13: "No. There should be no attention stressed on the use of
guns in a strictly academic and educational environment."
SURVEY 39
Q1: "Anti!!!"
Q3: "Tougher gun control would be more effective (i.e., such
as gun control laws in other industrial countries)."
Q5: "Not repealed - just interpreted correctly."
Q8: "Listening to the NRA representative made me want to work
harder in support of gun control."
SURVEY 42
Q10: "More !!!!!"
SURVEY 46
Q9: "I do not it is at all effective."
SURVEY 48
Q3: "Because not strong enough."
Q8: "It is one important solution but there other issues of
social disorder which need to be addressed."
Q9: "No change"
Q13: "Without the firing, i.e., not gun training."
SURVEY 53
Q5: "Just interpret it correctly."
Q13: "Only to those who have guns"
SURVEY 54
Q4: "Some are; limiting access by minors and felons."
Q6: "No!!!!!!!"