97 Percent: A New Approach to Gun Safety
The 97 Percent Foundation is an organization whose mission is to reduce gun deaths in the United States. We are guided by the belief that to reduce preventable gun violence we must engage responsible gun owners to support gun safety measures and invest in innovative technology. Respecting these gun owners and creating new technology can be the key to finding solutions.
Putting Gun Owners Back in the Conversation
The foundation of our work is rooted in original research conducted by SS+K during the summer of 2019. We audited the current landscape, did in-home ethnographic interviews with gun owners in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, conducted focus groups in Florida, Ohio and Colorado, and conducted a national survey in purple states around the country.
The most important thing we learned is that gun owners felt left out of the conversation around gun violence, and were even more supportive of solutions than we thought.
84% believe there is a problem with gun violence in America.
Our findings show that gun owners agree there is common ground. Though gun owners generally lack faith in institutions, they do believe average Americans are reasonable and can come together on an issue like guns. They believe there is common ground among those who do and don’t own guns – and they wish there was a way to hear these viewpoints.
The extremes are in the minority. It’s just not how we live.
– Columbus, Male Gun Owner
For gun owners, guns keep them safe. On an emotional level, people believe that their guns keep their homes and families safe. We must always respect this. Concerns over safety and societal fears aren’t going away. As faith in institutions drops around the country and crisis situations arise more and more - guns are not going anywhere.My mom has worked in a school since I was probably six years old. They go into lockdown constantly. And just from a strictly selfish point of view, I would like my mom to be able to protect herself. And I understand why guns aren’t allowed at schools, but I would rather her be able to protect herself than not.
– Colorado Springs, Female Gun Owner
Last but not least, data shows that gun owners are ready to support gun safety policies but they feel alienated in the current political landscape.