New Study Reveals Current Knowledge & Attitudes Toward Extreme Risk Protection Orders and Provides States with a Playbook to Inform the Public

As more states in the US begin to adopt their own Extreme Risk Protection Orders ERPOs a new study from the Ad Council Research Institute ACRI and The Joyce Foundation uncovers the publicamp8217s awareness of and attitudes toward these laws in the states where they are in place Though awareness of these laws is relatively high 65 only a small percentage 7 of the public is very familiar with them and could be in a place to effectively utilize them if needed The report also provides a communications toolkit with statespecific findings and resources to help local and national organizations drive actionable understanding of ERPOsThough the laws differ by state ERPOs 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 without resulting in a criminal record Encapsulating four phases of qualitative and quantitative research methods between October 2022 and June 2023 the study interviewed and surveyed more than 10000 individuals amp8211 including gun owners nongun owners veterans and law enforcement officials amp8211 in the 19 states and the District of Columbia with existing ERPO laws Since the start of the study two more states have passed ERPO lawsAssessing their knowledge and attitudes as well as effective messaging to build deeper understanding the report and toolkit provides a deeper look into ERPOs who is considered a trusted source to deliver this information message framing that resonates with the public and resources to drive more awareness and understanding of these lawsPromisingly results show that sentiments toward ERPO laws are consistently positive once provided more information about them Based on the law description tested 75 of respondents overall were positive towards ERPO particularly when the messaging emphasized the prevention of suicide and mass shootings through the temporary removal of firearms The messages and specific details highlighting ERPO preventative measures received 30 higher positivity rates than other key details about the laws Additionally messages that include a real scenario as well as statelevel information about ERPO proved to be informative and easy to understandConsidering who is the most trusted for information about ERPOs law enforcement consistently proved to be the most reliable across all states and demographics However key differences in demographic and behavioral groups did emerge regarding the sources of ERPO informationGun owners are more likely to trust national gun associations 33 compared to the 23 average and local shooting clubs 28 compared to the 19 averageThose who know someone in crisis are more likely to trust mental health organizations 56 compared to 43 averageGen Z and Millennials are less likely to trust local law enforcement 29 and 32 respectively compared to the 42 overall average with mental health organizations being the most trusted source for information about ERPOsThe communications toolkit puts all four phases of ERPO research into practice equipping organizations government entities and law enforcement agencies with resources to best discuss these laws with the general public Tested among individuals who know someone in crisis gun owners activeduty militaryveterans and the general public the messaging recommendations can help break through the general lack of familiarity with ERPO laws and how they are usedamp8220Although a majority of Americans have heard of Extreme Risk Protection Orders very few have a firm grasp on how to potentially utilize these laws to prevent harm within their community This study and toolkit not only shed light on the publicamp8217s level of awareness but provides vital insights and proven messaging frames catered to individual states to inform the public Together we can work towards a safer and more secure future for all communities preventing potential tragedies before they happenamp8221 said Derrick Feldmann Lead Researcher and Managing Director of the Ad Council Research Instituteamp8220As more states turn to extreme risk laws ERPOs are becoming an important part of a growing set of solutions needed to reduce gun violence in our countryamp160 However the most significant barrier preventing extreme risk laws from saving even more people is the lack of public awareness and understanding around ERPOsamp8221 said Joyce Gun Violence Prevention and Justice Reform Program Director Tim Daly amp8220Simply put if more people closest to those in crisis knew about this tool and when and how to use it more lives could be saved and more tragedies preventedamp160 If done right we can unlock the full potential of ERPOs and meaningfully reduce gun violence in our communitiesamp8221To 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 ERPOsA free webinar for individuals and organizations working to educate Americans about ERPOs will be held on August 16th from 130pm230pm EDT Hosted by ACRI and The Joyce Foundation the session will review detailed findings and key takeaways from the new report as well as an ERPO communications toolkit which includes talking points and resources on the latest information so organizations government entities and law enforcement agencies can best discuss these laws with the general public Register for the event hereERPOs Understanding Public Knowledge ampamp Attitudes Toward Extreme Risk Protection Orders can be downloaded herePosted 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 MediaVillageorgMyersBizNet

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New Study Reveals Current Knowledge & Attitudes Toward Extreme Risk Protection Orders and Provides States with a Playbook to Inform the Public

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