Poll: Americans Do Not Believe Strict Gun Laws Are Curbing Retail Crime Surge in Major Cities

Hannah BleauJanuary 5, 2022

Americans do not believe that strict gun laws are properly addressing the rise in retail crime in major cities, a Convention of States Action/Trafalgar Group survey released Wednesday found.

The survey asked respondents, “Do you believe that the strict gun laws in most major cities are making the current retail crime surge better or worse?”

Overall, a plurality, or 47.1 percent, said they are making “no difference.” Over one-third, 37.3 percent, said the laws are making it “worse,” while 15.6 percent say “better.”

A majority of Republicans, 54.6 percent, said the gun laws are making the crime “worse,” but a majority of Democrats (53.8 percent) and independents (50.7 percent) said it makes “no difference.”

Notably, just 30.1 percent of Democrats believe the laws are making the situation better, but only 7.3 percent of Republicans and 9.8 percent of independents share that view.

The survey, taken December 17–21, 2021, among 1,076 respondents, has a margin of error of +/- 2.99 percent.

This week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki bragged about the executive action the president took last year to “stop gun violence,” but she failed to mention the dozen Democrat-run cities that broke their annual homicide records last year. The list includes Indianapolis, Indiana; Portland, Oregon; Rochester, New York; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Austin, Texas.

In 2021, @POTUS took more executive action to stop gun violence than any President has ever taken in their first year. Yesterday, the Administration built upon this with two important steps to keep guns safely secure and help gun dealers follow the law:https://t.co/CC1Hkn8nbs

— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) January 4, 2022

Chicago has also witnessed the most homicides it has seen in over two decades, while it continues to deal with smash and grab thieves, some of whom stole up to $1 million in merchandise from the Gold Coast Auto Gallery last month.