Data: Gun Homicide and Violent Crime
National rates of gun homicide, non-fatal gun crime and all non-fatal violent crimes have fallen since the mid-1990s. Explore the trends by age, race and gender in this interactive.
Slideshow: Gun Violence in America
Key findings from the report “Gun Homicide Rate Down 49% Since 1993 Peak; Public Unaware”
Gun Homicide Rate Down 49% Since 1993 Peak; Public Unaware
Violence plunged through the 1990s, but has declined less dramatically since 2000. Despite the drop, 56% of Americans believe gun crime is higher today than 20 years ago.
Gun Control Conversation Split
On Twitter, the tone of conversation on gun control shifted back and forth, but the NRA faced more criticism than support. The terms “Newtown” and “gun control” dominated the conversation.
Divided Reactions to Last Week’s Senate Gun Vote
The key Senate vote that halted gun control legislation last week is drawing a mixed reaction from the American public: 47% express negative feelings about the vote while 39% have a positive reaction to the Senate’s rejection of gun control legislation that included background checks on gun purchases.
Gun Debate Tops Public Interest
The public is paying far closer attention to news about the gun control debate than news about threats from North Korea or the debate over immigration policy.
Gun Control: Key Data Points from Pew Research
Public opinion shifted modestly toward support for gun control in the immediate aftermath of the school shooting in Newtown, Conn. on Dec. 14, 2012. Since then, there has been very little change in public attitudes, according to our survey conducted in February. Currently, 50% say controlling gun ownership is the more important priority while 46% [...]
Gun Rights vs. Gun Control
The Pew Research Center has tracked shifting public opinion on gun rights and gun control over the past 20 years. Explore our polling data to discover how demographics influence public opinion on guns.
Why Own a Gun? Protection Is Now Top Reason
Far more gun owners today than in 1999 cite protection – rather than hunting or other activities – as the main reason they own guns. Among the majority of Americans who do not have guns, safety is a major concern.
If No Deal is Struck, Four-in-Ten Say Let the Sequester Happen
After a series of fiscal crises over the past few years, the public is not expressing a particular sense of urgency over the pending March 1 sequester deadline.




