Supreme Court Strikes Down D.C. Gun Ban

The Supreme Court ruled today against the District of Columbia's 32-year ban on handguns, interpreting the Second Amendment to include protecting an individual's right "to keep and bear arms." The 5-4 decision is the first case in U.S. history to make a pronouncement on the constitutionality of firearm law.

Two-thirds of Americans believe the words in the Constitution guarantee each person the right to own a gun. While public opinion surveys on gun control typically find the public in favor of stricter gun control laws, just as many oppose a complete ban on guns. Yet the public is divided on whether stricter gun control laws would actually reduce violent crime, with men significantly more skeptical than women. Many are also split on whether having a gun in the house makes it a safer or more dangerous place.