Stricter Gun Control Laws Won't Prevent Criminals From Getting Guns, Say 63% of Americans

When it comes to keeping guns
out of the hands of criminals, 63 percent of Americans remain
unconvinced that tighter restrictions on buying and owning guns
will be effective, according to the latest  Reason-Rupe poll.
About a third (32 percent), said stricter regulations would be
effective in preventing criminals from obtaining guns.

Seven in ten Republicans say stricter gun regulations would not
be effective while just 26 percent say they would be
effective.  Democrats are more divided on the issue. While
typically supportive of increased gun control, more than half (53
percent) say tighter restrictions on buying and owning guns would
not prevent criminals from obtaining the weapons while 44 percent
say they would prevent criminals from getting guns. Two-thirds of
independents don’t expect tighter restrictions to be effective
while 30 percent think they will.

As education increases, so do expectations that tighter gun
regulations will effectively keep guns from criminals. For
instance, 29% of those with high school degrees or less believe
such policies would be effect compared to 41 percent of those with
post-graduate degrees. Nevertheless, majorities of all educational
groups don’t expect tougher gun laws to prevent criminals from
obtaining guns.

Women are slightly more likely than men to believe tighter gun
regulations would be effective (35 to 29 percent). However,
considering race and gender finds that white women are no different
than white and nonwhite men. However, half of nonwhite women think
tighter gun rules would be effective compared to 44 would think
they would not.

Nationwide telephone poll conducted Dec 4-8 2013 interviewed
1011 adults on both mobile (506) and landline (505) phones, with a
margin of error +/- 3.7%. Princeton Survey Research Associates
International executed the nationwide Reason-Rupe survey. Columns
may not add up to 100% due to rounding. Full poll results,
detailed tables, and methodology found here. Sign
up for notifications of new releases of the Reason-Rupe
poll here.