THE TIMES POLL : Fear of Violence From Guns Alters Many Lives

One in eight Southern California households has been victimized within the past two years by crimes involving guns, and nearly half of the residents from San Diego to Ventura have changed their lifestyles because of firearms-related violence, The Times Poll has found.

Afraid of being shot or robbed at gunpoint, two out of five adults avoid theaters, malls or other places in their communities that they once might have frequented.

One in six does not go out socially at night for fear of being attacked with a gun.

One in nine parents does not let their children play outside.

One in eight Southern Californians has witnessed a crime involving a gun in the past two years, and the same proportion of residents are planning to buy a gun for self-defense in the coming year.

The overwhelming majority of the region’s residents say gun-related crimes occur frequently or occasionally in their neighborhoods. But despite the commonly held perception that violence is worsening, most residents of the sprawling, six-county area say they still feel relatively safe.

“These numbers send a mixed message,” said John Brennan, director of The Times Poll. “Many people go about their lives unconcerned and unaffected by the problem, but fears of gun-related violence have altered the attitudes and lifestyles of a significant share of the region’s population.”

Poor people and some minorities, particularly blacks and Latinos, would appear to be the least secure--and most at risk.

Nearly half of African-Americans--45%--say they no longer feel safe in their neighborhoods, compared to 39% of Latinos, 38% of Asian-Americans and 30% of Anglos.

“I can’t even wear my rings outside because you’re scared to death somebody with a gun’s going to rob you,” said a 71-year-old widow, Corrine Hill of Southwest Los Angeles. Hill, who is black, has stopped attending church at night and no longer leaves her house unescorted.

Last year, Hill bought a .38-caliber revolver. “Somebody,” she said, “has to do something.”

Among black respondents, one-fifth say that they or a member of their household have been the victim of a murder, rape, robbery, assault or other act of violence involving a gun within the past two years. Similarly, about 17% of Latinos say their households had been victimized, compared to 11% of Anglos and 9% of Asian-Americans.

Households with annual incomes of less than $20,000, the poll found, were twice as likely as those earning more than $39,000 to have experienced a crime in which a gun was used.

Families living in Los Angeles County were victimized at double the rate of those in Orange County.

The telephone poll was conducted between April 9 and 15. In all, 2,619 adults were surveyed, including 878 gun owners, throughout Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points and can be higher for some subgroups.

A second poll of 1,409 adults living in the city of Los Angeles was conducted between May 9 and 12, immediately after the riots. It found that the widespread looting and arson generally did little to change the opinions of city dwellers on the issue of guns.

However, 5% said that they would buy or carry a gun as a result of the riots.

Regionally, gang shootings, drug-related shootings and drive-by shootings were the mostfrequently cited crime problems. These crimes were mentioned by 46% of the respondents,followed by burglary (21%), muggings (17%) and car thefts (12%).

Two of five respondents--39%--said there are places in their communities that they once frequented but now avoid because of gunfire and armed robberies. More than one-quarter said there are roads and freeways they no longer use for the same reasons.

Nearly half say they have changed their lifestyles in major or minor ways to counter the threat of gun-related crimes. Among those who have changed:

- 31% say they have become more cautious.

- 18% have installed additional door locks.

- 16% do not go out socially at night.

- 13% have installed a home security system.

- 11% will not let their children play outside.

- 11% no longer go out alone.

- 10% do not take walks as they used to.

- 6% say they have moved or are planning to.

Compared to the rest of the nation, proportionately fewer homes in Southern California have guns--29%, compared to 43% nationally, the poll found. Southern California gun owners, meanwhile, are substantially more likely than their counterparts nationally to own firearms expressly for protection.

The prevalence of guns is highest among Anglos--43% say they have at least one gun at home or in their garage--and lowest among Asian-Americans (19%). One in three African-American residences has a gun, as does one in four Latino homes.

The vast majority of gun owners possess more than one gun and have received formal firearms training. Seven in 10 say they own at least one handgun--the same proportion who own a shotgun or rifle.

A significant minority of handgun owners--20%--say they routinely or occasionally keep a loaded weapon in their car, while another 11% say they routinely or occasionally carry a concealed pistol or revolver when out in public.

Carrying a concealed weapon or keeping a loaded gun in a car without a police permit is a misdemeanor under California law, yet some who carry guns without permits do not appear worried about being caught.

Hospital orderly Julio Rojas, 31, said he occasionally tucks a .22-caliber pistol into his waistband when he goes out at night to have a beer or run errands. Rojas said he bought the gun last year for $200 from a peddler on a street corner near downtown Los Angeles.

“If carrying the gun can save my life, I don’t care if (the violation is) a felony,” Rojas said. “You never get punished for something like that anyway. They just give you probation the first time.”

Jeweler Audrey Cunningham of Palmdale said she occasionally carries a .22-caliber derringer “because you get tired of being held up.”

“No, I shouldn’t carry a gun,” said Cunningham, 57, “but damn it, they’re not going to take what I’ve worked so hard for.”

Other than in the military or on the job, fewer than one in 10 gun owners say they have ever used a firearm to defend themselves or their families. Indeed, one in six have never even test-fired a gun, or last fired one more than 10 years ago. But that has not stopped a sizable number from keeping firearms at the ready.

Three-quarters say they have “easy access” to a gun if they need one. Four in 10 gun owners do not keep their weapons locked up.

Firearms owners were no less likely than non-gun owners to be victimized by an assailant with a gun. Of gun owners surveyed, 5% said they had been victimized by a gun-related crime in the past two years--the same percentage as non-owners of guns.

Although a majority of Southern Californians support the right of citizens to bear arms, two-thirds--especially non-owners of guns--believe that gun control laws should be made more strict in California.

Gun owners say they believe overwhelmingly that stronger laws restricting the sale and possession of firearms would do little, if anything, to reduce crime. Most non-owners of guns believe just the opposite.

The riots did little to lessen the call for stricter gun control among residents of Los Angeles, despite instances of armed citizens successfully fending off rioters. Two weeks before the riots, 73% of those polled said there should be more gun control. Two weeks after the riots, the figure was 70%.

Assistant Times Poll Director Susan Pinkus contributed to this story.

The Gun Poll

Following are results of selected questions asked of 2,619 adults in six counties in Southern California, including 878 gun owners. The Times Poll was conducted April 9-15.

In the last two years, in Southern California, has anyone in your household been the victim of a crime or an act of violence that involved a firearm, or not?

L.A. County Orange County Other Counties* Region Victims 15% 8% 11% 13% Not a victim 84% 92% 89% 86%

If a victim, of what crime? (Two answers accepted)

L.A. County Orange County Other Counties* Murder 1% -- 1% Rape or attemped rape 4 4% 3 Assault 5 1 3 Robbery 3 2 3 Burglary 2 -- 1

Region Murder 1% Rape or attemped rape 4 Assault 4 Robbery 3 Burglary 1

In the past two years, in Southern California, have you personally witnessed crime or an act of violence that involved a firearm, or not?

L.A. County Orange County Other Counties* Region Have 14% 11% 12% 13% Have not 86 89 88 87

How often do gun-related crimes occur in your community: frequently, occasionally, rarely or never?

L.A. County Orange County Other Counties* Region Frequently 29% 18% 36% 29% Occasionally 39 40 33 37 Rarely 24 30 23 25 Never 3 6 4 4 Don’t Know 5 6 4 5

Because of the fear of gun-related crime, have you made major changes, minor changes or no changes in the way you live?

L.A. County Orange County Other Counties* Region Major 18% 9% 12% 14% Minor 34 31 30 32 No Change 48 59 57 53 Don’t Know -- 1 1 1

If you have made major changes in your life because of fear of gun-related crime, what have those included? (Two answers accepted.) Among the top responses:

L.A. County Orange County Other Counties* Being more cautious in general 30% 32% 31% Locking house/car more 17 20 19 Don’t go out socially in evening 17 11 15 Don’t go out alone 11 10 11 Installed home alarm 12 13 15 Don’t visit certain areas 11 7 14 Don’t take walks used to take 12 11 7 Installed gates on windows/doors 8 5 6 Bought/carry gun 3 7 7

Region Being more cautious in general 31% Locking house/car more 18 Don’t go out socially in evening 16 Don’t go out alone 11 Installed home alarm 13 Don’t visit certain areas 11 Don’t take walks used to take 10 Installed gates on windows/doors 7 Bought/carry gun 5

Are there public places in your own community, such as theatres, stores, parks or beaches that you once frequented but now avoid specifically because you are afraid of gun-related crimes such as shootings and holdups, or not?

L.A. County Orange County Other Counties* Region Avoid many 14% 5% 6% 10% Avoid few 30 18 31 29 Don’t avoid 55 77 61 60 Don’t know 1 -- 2 1

*San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.

Note: Numbers may not add up to 100% because some responses are not shown or because some respondents gave multiple responses.