Press Release | Graphs
NJIT Technology Survey
February 11-14, 2003
400 interviews, Margin of Error +/-4.9%
(Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding)
1. Are you 18 years of age or older?
100% Yes
2. Thinking about issues of safety… Compared to a few years
ago, would you say that crime in your area is increasing or decreasing, or
would you say crime in your area is about the same?
24% Increasing
15% Decreasing
55% About the same
6% Don’t know/refused
3. Thinking about issues of safety… Compared to a few years
ago, would you say that crime in the state of New Jersey is increasing or
decreasing, or would you say crime in New Jersey is about the same?
39% Increasing
11% Decreasing
38% About the same
12% Don’t know/refused
4. What about you personally, would you say you feel much more
safe and secure from crime now than you did a few years ago, somewhat more safe
and secure, somewhat less safe and secure, much less safe and secure or would
you say your feelings about crime have not changed?
9% Much more safe and secure
16% Somewhat more safe and secure
20% Somewhat less safe and secure
11% Much less safe and secure
42% No change
2% Don’t know/Refused
25% NET MORE SAFE
32% NET LESS SAFE
5. Thinking about New Jersey’s public schools, would you say
they are much more safe and secure from crime now they were a few years ago,
somewhat more safe and secure, somewhat less safe and secure, much less safe
and secure or would you say the safety and security of New Jersey’s public
schools have not have not changed in the last few years?
9% Much more safe and secure
18% Somewhat more safe and secure
25% Somewhat less safe and secure
14% Much less safe and secure
22% No change
12% Don’t know/Refused
27% NET MORE SAFE
39% NET LESS SAFE
6. Thinking now about violent crime and guns… Is there any one
thing you think can be done to prevent gun deaths?
34% Better/stricter gun control
10% Better law enforcement
6% Clean up TV/movie/video game violence
5% Stop selling guns/make guns illegal
4% Mandatory trigger locks
4% “Smart” gun technology
4% Education/Gun training
3% Increase prison terms/End parole
2% More mental health treatment
1% Background checks
1% More involvement from parents
1% No guns for mentally ill
1% No guns for civilians
2% No guns allowed in homes
2% Let everyone own a gun
2% Stop making guns
2% Nothing
2% Other (Various)
13% Don’t know/Refused
Now I am going to read you a
few issues, and I would like you to tell me how serious a problem you think it
is. After each, please tell me would
you say it is a very serious problem, a somewhat serious problem, a not very
serious problem, or a not at all serious problem. How serious a problem would you say is…
7. Unauthorized gun use, or the use of a gun by someone other
than the gun’s owner to commit a crime
70% Very serious problem
20% Somewhat serious problem
6% Not very serious
1% Not at all serious
3% Don’t know/Refused
90% NET SERIOUS PROBLEM
8. Unauthorized gun use within the family, leading to child or
teen suicide
63% Very serious problem
20% Somewhat serious problem
10% Not very serious
4% Not at all serious
3% Don’t know/Refused
84% NET SERIOUS PROBLEM
9. Unauthorized gun use leading to death
or injury from accidents within the home
62% Very serious problem
23% Somewhat serious problem
10% Not very serious
3% Not at all serious
2% Don’t know/Refused
85% NET SERIOUS PROBLEM
10. Unauthorized gun use leading to
schoolyard violence
67% Very serious problem
21% Somewhat serious problem
8% Not very serious
1% Not at all serious
3% Don’tknow/Refused
88% NET SERIOUS PROBLEM
11.
Which of the following comes closest to your view?
Statement A: It is easy to buy a gun in New Jersey.
Statement B: It is not easy to buy a gun in New Jersey.
41% Statement A
26% Statement B
1% Neither
1% Both
32% Don’t know/Refused
Now I am going to read you
some things that the state government might do to reduce gun violence. After each I want you to tell me if you
support or oppose the idea. IF
SUPPORT/OPPOSE, ASK: Would you say you
strongly or somewhat support/oppose this idea?
9. Require that all guns sold in New Jersey be equipped with a
device that would allow only authorized users to fire the gun.
72% Strongly support
11% Somewhat support
4% Somewhat oppose
8% Strongly oppose
5% Don’t know/Refused
83% NET SUPPORT
12% NET OPPOSE
10. Require everyone who wants to own a handgun to pass a test and
apply for a license, in the same way new drivers have to pass a driver’s test
and get a license
81% Strongly support
9% Somewhat support
3% Somewhat oppose
4% Strongly oppose
2% Don’t know/Refused
91% NET SUPPORT
7% NET OPPOSE
11. Hold gun manufacturers and distributors responsible when the
weapons they sell fall into the hands of criminals or children
26% Strongly support
12% Somewhat support
16% Somewhat oppose
43% Strongly oppose
3% Don’t know/Refused
38% NET SUPPORT
59% NET OPPOSE
12. Ban the possession of handguns except by law enforcement and
other authorized persons
45% Strongly support
11% Somewhat support
12% Somewhat oppose
28% Strongly oppose
3% Don’t know/Refused
56% NET SUPPORT
41% NET OPPOSE
13. Enforce a mandatory waiting period before a handgun can be
purchased
82% Strongly support
10% Somewhat support
2% Somewhat oppose
4% Strongly oppose
2% Don’t know/Refused
93% NET SUPPORT
6% NET OPPOSE
14. Require background checks before a handgun can be purchased
89% Strongly support
6% Somewhat support
2% Somewhat oppose
2% Strongly oppose
2% Don’t know/Refused
95% NET SUPPORT
4% NET OPPOSE
15. Require all handgun owners to attend a course on gun safety
82% Strongly support
10% Somewhat support
3% Somewhat oppose
3% Strongly oppose
2% Don’t know/Refused
92% NET SUPPORT
6% NET OPPOSE
16. Hold parents legally responsible when their children takes a
gun that is owned by the parents and uses it to commit a crime
63% Strongly support
15% Somewhat support
8% Somewhat oppose
9% Strongly oppose
5% Don’t know/Refused
78% NET SUPPORT
17% NET OPPOSE
17. Require the registration of all firearms
84% Strongly support
8% Somewhat support
2% Somewhat oppose \
4% Strongly oppose
2% Don’t know/Refused
92% NET SUPPORT
6% NET
OPPOSE
18. Require all guns sold to be test-fired, and their unique,
“ballistic fingerprints” included in a national database, so a gun can be
identified by law enforcement if it is ever used in a crime.
82% Strongly support
7% Somewhat support
2% Somewhat oppose
6% Strongly oppose
3% Don’t know/Refused
90% NET SUPPORT
8% NET
OPPOSE
19. One proposal for preventing unauthorized gun use is to require
all guns to be equipped with technology that would make guns usable only by
their owners. Implementation of this
user-authorization technology will most likely require some information about
the owner of each weapon to be kept in a central database. Of the following, who do you think should be
the custodian of this personal identification information?
19% Local police
26% The state police
32% The federal government
6% A private company
1% All law enforcement
1% All of the above
6% Oppose such a database
8% Don’t know/Refused
Now I am going to read you
some statements, and I would like you to tell me if you strongly agree,
somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with that
statement. with the following
statement:
20. Technology exists today to produce an affordable, personalized
handgun that can be fired only by its owner.
46% Strongly agree
17% Somewhat agree
8% Somewhat disagree
14% Strongly disagree
16% Don’t know/Refused
63% NET AGREE
22% NET
DISAGREE
21. The loss of privacy and the sharing of personal information
required by user-authentication technology is an acceptable price to pay for
greater safety security from unauthorized gun use.
60% Strongly agree
19% Somewhat agree
7% Somewhat disagree
11% Strongly disagree
3% Don’t know/Refused
79% NET AGREE
18% NET
DISAGREE
22. Death and injury caused by unauthorized gun use is public health issue.
55% Strongly agree
17% Somewhat agree
12% Somewhat disagree
13% Strongly disagree
3% Don’t know/Refused
72% NET AGREE
25% NET DISAGREE
23. It is appropriate for government to fund research to develop
technology that will prevent gun violence and save lives.
63% Strongly agree
18% Somewhat agree
6% Somewhat disagree
11% Strongly disagree
2% Don’t know/Refused
81% NET AGREE
17% NET
DISAGREE
24. I would feel more comfortable allowing children to play at their friend’s homes if I knew for certain that there was no chance they might find an unlocked and loaded gun.
83% Strongly agree
7% Somewhat agree
3% Somewhat disagree
4% Strongly disagree
4% Don’t know/Refused
90% NET AGREE
6% NET
DISAGREE
25. Even if requiring user-authentication technology on all new
guns will increase the price of a handgun, the additional cost of a
personalized, user-only gun is an acceptable price to pay for greater safety
security from unauthorized gun use.
68% Strongly agree
13% Somewhat agree
5% Somewhat disagree
9% Strongly disagree
5% Don’t know/Refused
81% NET AGREE
13% NET DISAGREE
26. Would you be more or less likely to purchase a gun if it was
equipped with technology that would allow it to be fired only by its
owner? IF CHOICE, ASK, Would you say
you would be much or somewhat more/less likely?
31% Much more likely
14% Somewhat more likely
6% Somewhat less likely
9% Much less likely
37% Would not buy a gun
3% Don’t know/Refused
45% NET MORE LIKELY
15% NET
LESS LIKELY
27. How much extra would you be willing to pay for a gun if it was
equipped with reliable technology that would allow it to be fired only by its
owner? Would you be willing to pay an
additional…
24% $50
21% $100
11% $250
9% More than $250 extra
13% Would not pay extra
10% Would not buy a gun under any circumstances
12% Don’t know/Refused
DEMOGRAPHICS
28. What is your age please? Please just stop me when I get to the
correct range.
8% 18-24
17% 25-34
19% 35-44
24% 45-54
14% 55-64
16% 65+
2% Don’t know/Refused
29. What is the last grade of formal education you have
completed? Again, just stop me when I
get to the correct range.
3% Less than high school
26% High school graduate
23% Some college/vocational school
31% College graduate
15% Post graduate
3% Don’t know/Refused
30. Do you have any children 18 years of age or younger?
34% Yes
64% No
2% Don’t know/Refused
31. Which of the following do you have?
33% Home burglar alarm
76% Smoke alarms
46% Automobile alarm
41% Key-fob activated door-locking system on your car
63% Home computer
3% None
7% Don’t know/Refused
32. Have you, personally, ever fired a gun?
48% Yes
50% No
3% Don’t know/Refused
33. Do you or does anyone in your household own a gun, or not?
20% Yes
76% No
5% Don’t know/Refused
34. IF GUN IN HOUSEHOLD, ASK: do you, personally, own a gun, or
not?
(N=79)
67% Yes
33% No
· Don’t know/Refused
35. IF GUN IN HOUSEHOLD, ASK:
Of the following choices, what is the main reason you own a gun?
(N=79)
22% Hunting
25% Protection
22% Target or sport shooting
10% Collecting or as a hobby
9% Law enforcement/Security professional
3% Inherited
3% Other
8% Don’t know/Refused
36. IF GUN IN HOUSEHOLD, ASK:
How do you store your gun in your home?
(N=79)
51% Safe with a lock
10% Gun-specific case
6% Closet
1% Safe without a lock
4% Bedroom
8% Unloaded
1% In a locked room
1% Attic/Garage/Basement
4% Trigger lock
3% Other (SPECIFY)
10% Don’t know/Refused
37. (ASK ALL) Have you
ever been a member of, or contributed to any gun ownership advocacy
organization or gun control advocacy organizations? IF YES, ASK: Which one or
ones?
6% National Rifle Association (NRA)
1% Gun Owners of New Jersey/Gun Owners of America
* Ceasefire New Jersey
* Other gun control organization (SPECIFY)
- Brady Campaign
- Million Mom March
- Other gun ownership advocacy organization (SPECIFY)
88% No
5% Don’t know/Refused
48% Male
52% Female
B. County
49% North:
Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, Warren;
24% Central: Ocean, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset, Monmouth;
27% South:
Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem.