New Research by the Ad Council Research Institute and The Joyce Foundation Uncovers Public Knowledge & Attitudes Toward Extreme Risk Protection Orders and Identifies How to Effectively Empower Americans to Utilize These Gun Violence Prevention Laws

quotThe issue of gun violence is one that impacts people in all corners of the United States ERPOs can be another lifesaving tool in the states where they exist but only if Americans understand them and know how to put them into action This new research from the Ad Council Research Institute and The Joyce Foundation lays out a path to communicate this important message one that we are eager to implement for future campaigns at the Ad Council advancing our goals to reduce gun violence and save livesquot said Lisa Sherman President and CEO of the Ad CouncilERPOs are temporary civil orders designed to prevent tragedies and protect those who are at a high and imminent risk of using a firearm to harm other people or themselves and do not result in a criminal record The study surveyed the public including gun owners nongun owners veterans and law enforcement officials in the nineteen states and the District of Columbia with existing ERPO laws as of March 2023 assessing their knowledge and sentiment as well as effective messaging to engage the public on the issue Key findings includeThe majority of respondents are aware of ERPOs initial reaction toward the laws and their ability to keep people safe was positiveMany law enforcement officials have positive ideals about ERPOs but also recognize that itamp8217s hard for the public to believe such orders are temporary a majority view correct usage of the laws as a trustbuilding toolWith more details on the implementation and impact of ERPOs respondentsamp8217 hesitations about the temporary nature of the laws feelings that they would not get illegal guns off the streets and other concerns became more apparentRespondents need more information and resources to fully grasp the benefits of ERPOs expressing a desire for more details on the overall process when ERPOs can or should be used the impact on an individual how to identify if an ERPO is needed who to contact and moreKey words such as quotcrisisquot and quottemporaryquot rose to the top to potentially incorporate into names for the lawsResults show that many Americans agree that ERPOs are part of a larger crisis response 67 and see them as efforts to keep their communities safe 66 from mass shootings 59 and individuals safe from suicide 63 However the public and individuals in law enforcement in the states with existing ERPOs both need more information and resources to fully grasp the benefits of these laws 65 of the population and 78 of law enforcement surveyed agree that more details on how to start the process eg who to initially go to of filing an ERPO would be extremely or very helpfulquotThere is a huge opportunity to ensure ERPOs are effective and this study proves that communications can make a substantial difference from what they are called to how those in crisis and the public can play an active role in working with law enforcement to help loved ones who may harm themselves or othersquot said Derrick Feldmann lead researcher and managing director of ACRI and Ad Council Edge quotAwareness along with the right language and framing around a process implementation and impact of ERPO laws in a nation where these laws vary from state to state could overcome significant barriers to their implementation and further acceptance Weamp8217re eager to continue this research empower local government agencies to utilize it and put our findings into action ultimately preventing tragediesquotquotFor more than 25 years The Joyce Foundation has invested in gun violence prevention research including research showing that ERPOs can save lives but only when implemented and applied effectivelyquot said Joyce Gun Violence Prevention and Justice Reform Program Director Tim Daly quotThese research findings are an important step toward establishing a baseline of the public39s knowledge and attitudes about these laws and provides a roadmap to policy makers and practitioners to close gaps in the public39s awareness of these laws to ensure they are utilized effectively and fairlyquotAmong other significant findings the study revealed that many law enforcement officials have positive perceptions of these laws and see opportunity to build trust that may dispel some of the publicamp8217s concerns63 said ERPOs are easy to use in a crisis situation59 believe using an ERPO could happen quickly enough to stop or prevent an incident56 said an ERPO would be a last resort for an individual in a crisis situation68 said that the legalcourt system applying the law correctly would help build trust67 said that law enforcement using this law in a fair and proper way regardless of raceethnicity would help build trust60 said ERPOs would be used more if it was a criminal procedure instead of a civil oneThe study also found these laws should incorporate wording like quotcrisis interventionquot and quottemporaryquot when discussing and naming them rather than quotred flagquot which ranked toward the bottom among respondents Feedback on the message frames point to a desire for additional deeper information on the process of ERPO lawsamp8212especially by state This feedback will be used as the research team continues to hone the message frames for further testing and examines how to provide the depth of information respondents require An updated report will be released in the coming months that will include additional research and an accompanying toolkit to equip organizations government entities and others with key messaging and resources to effectively message around ERPOsAs of March 2023 19 states and the District of Columbia have ERPO laws to prevent a person who is at risk of violence to self including suicide or to others including mass shootings from purchasing or possessing firearms The laws allow law enforcement and in some states family members health professionals and school administrators to ask a civil court to temporarily block the person from buying a handgun rifle or shotgun and require the person to turn in any handgun rifle or shotgun they already haveTo address the larger issue of gun violence in the United States and encourage both gun owners and nongun owners to take specific actions to keep our communities safe the Ad Council announced plans for a comprehensive communications approach to tackling the issue On the heels of the nonprofitamp8217s groundbreaking national COVID19 Vaccine Education campaign and multifaceted mental health initiative announcement the Ad Council is evolving the coalitionbased and multiaudience model to convene the advertising media and business industries to address gun violence issues facing communities across the country This new approach builds on the organizationamp8217s longstanding and successful End Family Fire campaign with Brady which focuses on the dangers of unsecured guns and will include new communications campaigns including efforts to increase public awareness and education of ERPOsThis report provides a deeper look into ERPOs how to effectively speak about these laws with the American public and how to drive more awareness and understanding of them in the nineteen states and the District of Columbia with existing ERPO laws Download it hereAbout the Joyce Foundation The Joyce Foundation is a private nonpartisan philanthropy that invests in public policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes regionIn 1993 the Joyce Foundation launched its Gun Violence Program now known as the Gun Violence Prevention ampamp Justice Reform Program to build safe and just communities in the Great Lakes region Support for gun violence prevention research has been a consistent throughline in the programamp8217s grant making strategy totaling more than 33 million in investments These investments led to hundreds of scientific publications providing key insights into the nature of gun violence in the US and its solutions at a time when few other public or private funding sources were available for this type of research A specific focus of this grant making in recent years has been to build the evidence base to inform the modern development of the ERPO policy advance implementation efforts surrounding the policy and to evaluate its effectivenessIn 2011 the foundation helped found the Fund for a Safer Future FSF a collaborative of more than 35 funders from across the country focused on preventing gun violence and in 2016 helped establish the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities a donor collaborative focused on reducing gun violence in ChicagoPosted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership selfpublishing platformClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet

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New Research by the Ad Council Research Institute and The Joyce Foundation Uncovers Public Knowledge & Attitudes Toward Extreme Risk Protection Orders and Identifies How to Effectively Empower Americans to Utilize These Gun Violence Prevention Laws

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New Research by the Ad Council Research Institute and The Joyce Foundation Uncovers Public Knowledge & Attitudes Toward Extreme Risk Protection Orders and Identifies How to Effectively Empower Americans to Utilize These Gun Violence Prevention Laws

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