Hoosier Survey finds supermajority supports gun control

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – There is widespread support for new gun control measures in Indiana, according to the results from the WISH-TV/Ball State Hoosier Survey.

That’s despite the fact that Indiana is a state where the NRA convention is welcome, and where the last gun debate in the General Assembly focused on more guns. It was over a bill that could arm teachers and school administrators.

And just last week when the president addressed chiefs of police in Chicago, he rejected critics who say gun control doesn’t work there and pointed a finger at Indiana.

“The problem with that argument, as the Chicago Police Department will tell you,” he said, “is that 60 percent of guns recovered in crimes come from out of state. You’ve just got to hop across the border.”

But when the Hoosier Survey asked about background checks for gun sales, 83 percent expressed support. Only 16 percent are opposed.

A smaller majority, 51 percent, supports a federal database to track gun sales.

“The numbers in Indiana, for Hoosiers, track the national averages in terms of gun control,” said Ball State political science professor Joe Losco.

There is more.

Just over half — 51.3 percent — support a ban on assault weapons with 48.7 percent opposed.

And 83 percent want to prevent people with mental illness from buying guns.

It leads Ball State professor Ray Scheele to a conclusion. “The gun control issue is changing rapidly right before our eyes,” he said.

The Hoosier Survey found that, generally, Democrats and Independents are more supportive of gun control.

Nevertheless, a majority Republicans is in support of all the measures we asked about with the exception of an assault weapons ban.

It is a statewide sample of 600 adults aged 18 or older conducted by Princeton Survey Research.

The poll is conducted by telephone, where 360 landline calls and 240 cell phone calls were made. The margin of error is 5.2%.Editor’s note: Chime in! Vote in our unscientific poll within this story.