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Political Violence

While most Americans flatly reject political violence, a small but concerning minority of Americans support it, posing a serious threat to society. Our research highlights specific risk factors and corresponding opportunities for intervention and prevention.

The Life in America Survey

In 2022, we launched the Life in America Survey, an annual, nationally representative survey to study political violence as a public health issue. The Life in America Survey is among the first to explore personal willingness to engage in specific political violence scenarios. It asks about motivations or justifications for the use of force or violence; different types of violence ranging from damaging property to threatening, injuring, or killing a person, including with the use of a firearm; and potential targets of violence, including community members, civil servants, and leaders.

Latest Research

Research

PREPRINT: Support for Authoritarianism and Use of Force by and against the Federal Government in the United States in Mid-2025

Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey
Wintemute GJ, Crawford A, Tomsich EA, Wright MA, Shev AB, Tancredi DJ, & Robinson SL

About the PaperIN TWO SENTENCESIn mid-2025, a substantial minority of Americans endorse authoritarian views; smaller minorities agree that the current federal…

Political Violence

Research

Public Opinion on Civil War in the USA as of Mid-2024

Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey
Wintemute GJ, Li Y, Wright MA, Crawford A, & Tomsich EA










Click the image or link for the full-sized visual abstract.

AbstractBackgroundIn 2023, Wave 2 of an annual, nationally representative…

Political Violence
preprint the maga movement and political violence in 2024

Research

PREPRINT: The MAGA Movement and Political Violence in 2024

Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey
Wintemute, GJ, Velasquez, B, Robinson, S, Tomsich, EA, Wright, MA, Shev, A

AbstractBackground: The possibility of widespread political violence poses a serious concern for the United States. A nationally representative survey…

Political Violence

Latest News & Insights

Storming the U.S. Capitol

New study looks at attitudes towards political violence

November 15, 2024

A small segment of the U.S. population considers violence, including lethal violence, to be usually or always justified to advance political objectives. This is according to newly published research…

Political Violence
Screenshot of KCRA news interview with Garen Wintemute

KCRA interviews Garen Wintemute after Donald Trump's attempted assassination

October 07, 2024

There are growing concerns about political violence after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.In this interview with KCRA's Brittany Hope, Dr. Garen Wintemute…

Political Violence
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Opinion: Don’t underestimate threats of violence from Proud Boys and other right-wing groups

September 20, 2024

“Remember during the 2020 presidential race when Donald Trump refused to disown right-wing violent extremists, instead telling the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by”? We might now know what they…

Political Violence
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Could political violence determine the outcome of this year’s elections?

June 21, 2024

It’s an election year. Donald Trump and other Republican Party leaders have refused to commit to accepting November’s results. Trump has referred to those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 as “…

Political Violence
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The difference between Republicans and MAGA Republicans is violence

November 13, 2022

Experts in many fields — domestic violent extremism, civil conflict, democracy studies — are concerned about the likelihood that political violence will soon break out in the United States. Nearly 90…

Political Violence

About

  • Centers for Violence Prevention
  • Our Team

What We Do

  • Research and Data
  • Education and Training
  • Community Engagement
  • Policy Development

News and Insights

  • Latest News
  • Insights Blog

Get Involved

  • Apply for a Grant
  • Join our Team
  • Support Our Work
  • Contact Us
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