title: Public opinion polling on gun policy.
abstract: Faced with the national epidemic of gun violence, legislators should be especially sensitive to their constituents' support for various policy options. This support is best evidenced by well-conducted public opinion polls. We review public opinion polls on gun policy since 1987. Although the public support for a number of promising interventions targeting the design and manufacture of firearms has not been meaningfully investigated, strong support is evidenced for most other gun-control options. The public also believes, contrary to Supreme Court rulings, that the Second Amendment to the Constitution protects a broad individual right to bear arms.
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Center, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Vernick
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Teret
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Teret
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Wintemute
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003625:Data Collection; D005389:Firearms / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011639:Public Opinion; D011640:Public Policy; D014481:United States