Support for stricter gun laws has fluctuated in recent years; fewer back stricter laws now than in 2019

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April 20, 2021

Amid a Series of Mass Shootings in the U.S., Gun Policy Remains Deeply Divisive

Support for stricter gun laws has fluctuated in recent years; fewer back stricter laws now than in 2019

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Support for stricter gun laws has fluctuated in recent years; fewer back stricter laws now than in 2019

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Amid a Series of Mass Shootings in the U.S., Gun Policy Remains Deeply Divisive
Narrow majority favors stricter gun laws, but deep partisan divisions persist
Broad support for barring people with mental illnesses from obtaining guns, expanded background checks
Bipartisan support for preventing the mentally ill from buying guns, expanded background checks; wide partisan differences on many other gun policies
Declining GOP support for assault-style weapons ban, national gun registry
GOP share saying gun violence is very big problem for the country declines
Wide differences in support for stricter gun laws by race, gender, education and community type
Black adults far more likely than White adults to say crime would go up if more people had guns
Young adults far more likely than older people to say mass shootings would be less frequent if guns were harder to obtain legally
Large shares of Democrats strongly favor gun policies that would restrict purchases, ownership of certain weapons; Republicans express more lukewarm support
Less support for expanded gun background checks among Republicans in rural areas than those living in urban, suburban communities
Black Democrats more likely than White, Hispanic Democrats to say gun violence is a very big problem

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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

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