More than seven in 10 Americans — including 58 percent of gun owners — say that laws regulating purchases of guns should be stricter, according to the latest Marist Poll.
The results, according to Marist:
- 71 percent say laws over gun purchases should be stricter, up 7 points since October.
- 23 percent say gun legislation should remain as it is.
- 5 percent say gun laws should be less strict.
Among the sub-groups:
- 58 percent of gun owners think gun laws should be stricter.
- 81 percent of women think gun sale laws should be strengthened.
- 51 percent of those who voted for President Donald Trump want stricter laws.
- 51 percent of Republicans support stricter laws.
"Americans are experiencing a heated debate over gun policy in the wake of the latest school shooting," says Dr. Lee Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.
Seventeen students and adults were killed last week in Parkland, Florida, by a mentally unstable teenager wielding an AR-15, which he bought legally when he was 18. Nikolas Cruz confessed to police.
This survey of 1,026 adults was conducted Feb. 20-21 by The Marist Poll. Adults 18 years of age and older residing in the contiguous United States were contacted. Results are statistically significant within ±3.6 percentage points.
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