Poll Shows That Majority of Americans Want Tougher Gun Laws Enacted by Congress
A new poll conducted by the Associated Press indicates that more and more Americans are in favor of stricter gun laws. The poll results should not be terribly surprising, especially since the respondents were voicing their opinions in the aftermath of a number of mass shootings that have rocked the country and garnered intense media coverage.
According to the recent AP poll, most Americans want their federal and state lawmakers enacted gun control laws that restricted gun ownership rights – at least when it comes to certain high-powered firearms such as semi-automatic assault weapons. In fact, almost two-thirds of poll respondents said that they support outright bans on these types of firearms, as well as bans on high-capacity ammunition magazines that are capable of holding in excess of 10 bullets. These are the types of weapons and magazines that were used by mass shooters at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2013, the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida in June 2016, and the police shootings in Dallas, Texas earlier this month.
One aspect of the poll focused on whether respondents believe that the U.S. Congress will actually take any action to make it more difficult for individuals to acquire the kinds of guns that were used in the recent mass shootings. What the poll found is that a vast majority of Americans do not think that significant changes to gun ownership laws will happen in the immediate future.
This pessimism is also unsurprising, especially since the last time Americans registered so much discontent with lawmakers’ inability to prevent mass shootings in the US was in 2013, shortly after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that left 20 children and six adults dead.
For additional information, check out the Yahoo.com article, “AP Poll: Support Grows among Americans for Stricter Gun Laws.”
New Jersey has some of the toughest gun laws in the country. Under the Graves Act, anyone convicted of a gun crime in New Jersey faces mandatory prison time. That’s why it is imperative that anyone who has been arrested for a weapons offense in New Jersey speak to a qualified criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. John W. Tumelty is an experienced criminal defense lawyer who can help you fight your gun crime charges. Contact Mr. Tumelty today to schedule a free consultation about your case.