From tribune.usask.ca!decwrl!decwrl!concert!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!darwin.sura.net!howland.reston.ans.net!news.intercon.com!psinntp!channel1!victor.dura Tue Jan 25 10:07:32 1994 Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns Subject: FYI:Police survey 1/3 From: victor.dura@channel1.com (Victor Dura) Path: tribune.usask.ca!decwrl!decwrl!concert!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!darwin.sura.net!howland.reston.ans.net!news.intercon.com!psinntp!channel1!victor.dura Distribution: world Message-ID: <40.7252.2783.0NE16563@channel1.com> Date: Fri, 21 Jan 94 06:43:00 -0500 Organization: Channel 1 Communications Lines: 144 SOUTHERN STATES POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION and LAW ENFORCEMENT ALLIANCE OF AMERICA'S EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In a comprehensive effort to find out how its 10,614 law enforcement members really felt about gun control and crime control, in June 1993 the Southern States Police Benevolent Association became the nation's first major law enforcement group to conduct a professional, scientific survey of its membership. The Southern States PBA has traditionally maintained a neutral position on gun control, but decided to poll its membership to resolve the controversy over claims by groups on both sides of the issue as to the position of law enforcement. To ensure that the survey would accurately reflect its members' views, the Southern States PBA employed an outside, independent research firm, Spectrum Resources, Inc., of Tallahassee, Florida, to conduct the survey. The law enforcement officers were asked a wide-ranging array questions which tested a variety of claims by both gun control advocates and critics. There were questions regarding capital punishment, violence on television, and the chief cause of violence throughout the country. The questions probed officers' views on waiting periods, background checks, gun bans, and their understanding of what constitutes an "assault weapon." The results found that law enforcement officers resoundingly reject gun control laws as effective measures in deterring violent crime, and strongly support the right of citizens to own firearms: 96.4 percent strongly supported firearms ownership for self-protection 95.8 percent rejected an outright ban on all firearms 90.1 percent agreed that there is a Constitutional right to own a firearm Significantly, the results of the survey showed that a Brady Bill-type waiting period does not have anywhere near the support of law enforcement that its backers claim: 86.5 percent felt waiting periods would only affect law-abiding citizens -- that criminals will still be able to obtain handguns illegally whenever they want When asked to choose between the two, 69.4 percent of survey respondents preferred an instant point-of- purchase criminal background check or no check at all vs. 23.1 percent for a waiting period on the purchase of a handgun The Southern States PBA membership volunteered more than 20 different views as to the most pressing cause for the upsurge of violent crime in the United States. The top two were: Substance Abuse (48.1 percent) ineffectiveness of the judicial and correctional systems (24.5 percent) Stricter gun control laws were seen as the least effective means of controlling violent crime while tougher sentences including the death penalty and increased police presence were seen as the most effective deterrents. Copies of the entire analysis (nearly 100 pages) including charts, graphs, cross tabulations, etc., are available from LEAA. The Law Enforcement Alliance of America 7700 Leesburg Pike Suite 421 Falls Church, Virginia 22043 800-766-8578 SURVEY RESULTS Grand totals: 3824 total responses out of 10,614 surveys mailed (36% response). 1) In general, what do you think is the most pressing cause of violent crime in the United States today? # responses percentage 3641 95.2% TOTALS 1637 45.0 DRUGS 386 10.6 FAMILY VALUES/ DECLINE OF FAMILY 151 4.1 COURTS, INADEQUATE SENTENCING 370 10.2 EARLY RELEASE/ LACK OF PUNISHMENT 39 1.1 ALCOHOL 62 1.7 PUNISHMENT DOES NOT FIT THE CRIME 139 3.8 BREAKDOWN OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM 35 1.0 LACK OF EDUCATION/ IGNORANCE 38 1.0 FEDERAL JUDGES/ POLITICIANS 51 1.4 TELEVISION 72 2.0 CRACK COCAINE 80 2.2 LACK OF RELIGION/ ATTENTION TO GOD 28 0.8 MONEY 31 0.9 YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS 21 0.6 RACIAL/ETHNIC PROBLEMS 40 1.1 GUNS/FIREARMS 117 3.2 NO FEAR OF BEING CAUGHT OR PUNISHED 156 4.3 UNEMPLOYMENT/ U.S. ECONOMY 54 1.5 LIBERALISM/ CRIMINAL RIGHTS FAVORED 134 3.7 OTHER 2a) How effective has the U.S. Congress been in dealing with violent crime? Had Congress been VERY EFFECTIVE, SOMEWHAT EFFECTIVE, ONLY MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE, or NOT EFFECTIVE AT ALL in dealing with violent crime? 3812 99.7% TOTALS 3 0.1 VERY EFFECTIVE 246 5.6 SOMEWHAT EFFECTIVE 1796 47.1 ONLY MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE 1751 45.9 NOT EFFECTIVE AT ALL 48 1.3 NOT SURE 2b) Please indicate which of the following options would be LEAST EFFECTIVE in reducing violent crime? (PICK ONLY ONE OPTION) 3798 99.3% TOTALS 435 11.5 STOP EARLY RELEASE 230 6.1 THE DEATH PENALTY 188 4.9 MORE POLICE ON THE STREETS 226 6.0 TOUGHER JUDGES AND SENTENCES 2481 65.3 STRICTER GUN CONTROL LAWS 238 6.3 NOT SURE 3) For each statement listed below, please note whether you STRONGLY AGREE with the statement, AGREE, DISAGREE, or STRONGLY DISAGREE. 3a) There should be an immediate criminal background check on handgun purchases right at the gun shop. 3818 99.8% TOTALS 1813 47.5 STRONGLY AGREE 1330 34.8 AGREE 448 11.7 DISAGREE 141 3.7 STRONGLY DISAGREE 86 2.3 NOT SURE 3b) Other than for police and military, all guns should be outlawed. >>> Continued to next message --- þ OLX 2.1 TD þ Armed Citizenry: Ultimate Bulwark against Tyranny! From tribune.usask.ca!decwrl!decwrl!concert!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!darwin.sura.net!howland.reston.ans.net!news.intercon.com!psinntp!channel1!victor.dura Tue Jan 25 10:07:32 1994 Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns Subject: FYI:Police survey 2/3 From: victor.dura@channel1.com (Victor Dura) Path: tribune.usask.ca!decwrl!decwrl!concert!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!darwin.sura.net!howland.reston.ans.net!news.intercon.com!psinntp!channel1!victor.dura Distribution: world Message-ID: <40.7253.2783.0NE16564@channel1.com> Date: Fri, 21 Jan 94 06:43:00 -0500 Organization: Channel 1 Communications Lines: 144 >>> Continued from previous message 3820 99.9% TOTALS 69 1.8 STRONGLY AGREE 64 1.7 AGREE 1069 28.0 DISAGREE 2591 67.8 STRONGLY DISAGREE 27 0.7 NOT SURE 3c) The entire criminal justice system needs major reform. 3821 99.9% TOTALS 2283 59.7 STRONGLY AGREE 1138 29.8 AGREE 313 8.2 DISAGREE 25 0.7 STRONGLY DISAGREE 62 1.6 NOT SURE 3d) The U.S. Constitution guarantees every law abiding citizen the right to own a gun. 3820 99.9% TOTALS 2249 58.9 STRONGLY AGREE 1190 31.2 AGREE 222 5.8 DISAGREE 94 2.5 STRONGLY DISAGREE 65 1.7 NOT SURE 3e) People should have the right to own a gun for self-protection. 3819 99.9% TOTALS 2540 66.5 STRONGLY AGREE 1140 29.9 AGREE 91 2.4 DISAGREE 19 0.5 STRONGLY DISAGREE 29 0.8 NOT SURE 3f) A waiting period to purchase handguns will only affect law-abiding citizens -- criminals will still be able to obtain handguns illegally whenever they want. 3798 99.3% TOTALS 2201 59.5 STRONGLY AGREE 1024 27.0 AGREE 382 10.1 DISAGREE 92 2.4 STRONGLY DISAGREE 39 1.0 NOT SURE 3g) The Federal government should take legal action to curb the amount of violence on television. 3818 99.8% TOTALS 962 25.2 STRONGLY AGREE 1468 38.4 AGREE 939 24.6 DISAGREE 224 5.9 STRONGLY DISAGREE 225 5.9 NOT SURE 3h) A Federal law should be passed allowing qualified law enforcement officers to carry a concealed firearm anywhere in the United States. 3814 99.7% TOTALS 2852 74.8 STRONGLY AGREE 742 19.5 AGREE 129 3.4 DISAGREE 27 0.7 STRONGLY DISAGREE 64 1.7 NOT SURE 3i) Based on my own experience, if the laws on handgun ownership were stricter than they are now, the overall number of violent crimes would be reduced. 3817 99.8% TOTALS 284 7.4 STRONGLY AGREE 653 17.1 AGREE 1380 36.2 DISAGREE 1324 34.7 STRONGLY DISAGREE 176 4.6 NOT SURE 3j) A gun is not an assault weapon if it fires only one bullet each time the trigger is pulled. 3807 99.6% TOTALS 893 23.5 STRONGLY AGREE 981 25.8 AGREE 1039 27.3 DISAGREE 734 19.3 STRONGLY DISAGREE 160 4.2 NOT SURE 4) All things considered, which of the following two options would you prefer -- a bill requiring a five-day waiting period on the purchase of handguns, of a bill requiring an immediate criminal background check at the time of the sale? 3811 99.7% TOTALS 881 23.1 WAITING PERIOD 2430 63.8 INSTANT CHECK 213 5.6 NEITHER 80 2.1 NO OPINION/ NOT SURE 207 5.4 BOTH 5) Under current Federal law, are gun dealers required to report to the government the sale of more than one handgun at a time? 3768 98.5% TOTALS 831 22.1 REQUIRED 937 24.9 NOT REQUIRED 2000 53.1 DON'T KNOW/ REFUSED 6) Aside from your department-issued sidearm, so you have guns of any kind in your home? (PLEASE MARK ALL APPROPRIATE BOXES) 3805 99.5% TOTALS 229 0.0 NO 519 13.6 HANDGUN(S) 203 5.3 RIFLE AND/OR SHOTGUN 89 2.2 SEMI-AUTOMATIC FIREARMS 329 8.6 REFUSE TO ANSWER 912 24.0 HANDGUN(S) AND RIFLE AND/OR SHOTGUN 81 2.1 HANDGUN(S) AND SEMI-AUTOMATIC FIREARM 44 1.2 RIFLE/SHOTGUN AND SEMI-AUTOMATIC 1405 36.9 ALL THREE TYPES 0 0.0 OTHER The following questions are for statistical purposes only, and are crucial for the tabulation and analysis of survey results: A) How many years have you served in law enforcement? 3818 99.8% TOTALS 248 0.5 0-2 YEARS 811 21.2 2-5 YEARS 1015 26.6 5-10 YEARS 1744 45.7 10 YEARS OR MORE B) Are you a sworn or non-sworn employee? 3806 99.5% TOTALS 3687 96.9 SWORN 119 3.1 NON-SWORN C) In what state do you serve? >>> Continued to next message --- þ OLX 2.1 TD þ Armed Citizenry: Ultimate Bulwark against Tyranny! From tribune.usask.ca!decwrl!decwrl!concert!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!darwin.sura.net!howland.reston.ans.net!news.intercon.com!psinntp!channel1!victor.dura Tue Jan 25 10:07:32 1994 Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns Subject: FYI:Police survey 3/3 From: victor.dura@channel1.com (Victor Dura) Path: tribune.usask.ca!decwrl!decwrl!concert!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!darwin.sura.net!howland.reston.ans.net!news.intercon.com!psinntp!channel1!victor.dura Distribution: world Message-ID: <40.7254.2783.0NE16565@channel1.com> Date: Fri, 21 Jan 94 06:43:00 -0500 Organization: Channel 1 Communications Lines: 55 >>> Continued from previous message 3800 99.4% TOTALS 2 0.1 FLORIDA 1493 39.3 GEORGIA 535 14.1 ALABAMA 60 1.6 MISSISSIPPI 864 22.7 NORTH CAROLINA 23 0.6 SOUTH CAROLINA 709 18.7 TENNESSEE 2 0.1 KENTUCKY 12 0.3 ARKANSAS 98 2.6 VIRGINIA 2 0.1 WASHINGTON, DC D) What is your sex? 3805 99.5% TOTALS 3447 90.6 MALE 358 9.4 FEMALE E) In general, do you serve in a rural or in an urban area? 3804 99.5% TOTALS 1237 32.5 RURAL 2440 64.1 URBAN 127 3.3 MIXED URBAN/RURAL SELECTED STATES BY URBAN/RURAL SERVICE AREA 3475 90.9% TOTALS 522 15.0 RURAL GEORGIA 911 26.2 URBAN GEORGIA 177 5.1 RURAL ALABAMA 336 9.7 URBAN ALABAMA 245 7.1 RURAL NORTH CAROLINA 593 17.1 URBAN NORTH CAROLINA 223 6.4 RURAL TENNESSEE 468 13.5 URBAN TENNESSEE GENDER BY SWORN/NON SWORN EMPLOYMENT STATUS 3781 98.9% TOTALS 3368 89.1 SWORN MALE 56 1.5 NON-SWORN MALE 294 7.8 SWORN FEMALE 63 1.7 NON-SWORN FEMALE Downloaded from GUN-TALK (703-719-6406) A service of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action Washington, DC 20036 --- þ OLX 2.1 TD þ Armed Citizenry: Ultimate Bulwark against Tyranny!