Pulse: Gun Violence in America
As the leading cause of death among children and teens ages 1-17, gun violence is a prevalent—and increasing—problem in the U.S. What are Americans’ perceptions of gun violence in the U.S.?
The Ad Council Research Institute (ACRI) commissioned a poll among 3,000 Americans to get in-the-moment data on gun violence, and to promote prevention strategies to curtail gun violence and its impact on young people—including perception and attitudes, overall impact, and potential solutions to addressing gun violence and firearm-related incidents.
The poll was fielded from January 29 - February 5, 2024 among 3,010 American adults.
Key Findings
- Gun violence is a top three issue Americans are concerned about.
- When asked to indicate how important various issues are to them, four in five (79%) participants ranked gun violence important, putting it in the third position after the economy (89%) and crime (84%).
- However, they have a worse perception of issues the country is facing versus their own community.
- Americans are slightly more concerned with gun-related incidents on a national scale compared to their local community (and are again concerned with those related to crime)—which implies that while Americans are concerned for their community, they’re even more concerned for the country overall.
- Americans, especially parents, are aware of and concerned about the risk and impact of gun violence on children, and some are discussing gun violence at home.
- When asked who is most impacted by gun violence, kids were ranked at the top (75%), followed by parents and teachers (71% and 70%, respectively), mental health professionals (64%) and the local community (62%).
- Despite these beliefs, an opportunity exists for more awareness around gun-related deaths.
- When asked the leading cause of death for children ages 1-17 in the U.S., one in four (26%) of Americans polled chose guns or firearms, followed by substance use disorders (19%), suicide (17%), and motor vehicle-related incidents (11%). As firearm-related deaths surpassed motor vehicle incidents as the leading cause of death in children 1-17 in 2020, this signifies an opportunity and need to increase awareness of the fatal impact of gun violence on kids among Americans.
- Americans believe education and safe gun storage are most likely to reduce gun violence.
- Eighty-nine percent of parents in the poll said educating their kids about gun safety would have an impact on reducing gun violence, followed by practicing safe gun storage (80%, in households with gun owners), talking with fellow parents (78% about safe gun storage, 74% about guns being in a home prior to kids visiting), and reporting concerning behaviors to legal authorities to keep guns out of the hands of someone who may pose a risk to themselves or someone else (76%).
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