UC Davis Health News covered the publication of new CVP research that used a unique study design to compare the risk of active shootings in gun-free zones as compared to gun-allowing establishments. “After accounting for matched pairs, our analyses showed that active shootings were 62.5% less likely to occur in gun-free establishments than in gun-allowing places,” said Paul Reeping, lead author of the study and CVP postdoctoral scholar.
Last year I sold my old vacuum on Nextdoor, a social networking service for neighborhoods. A stranger responded to my listing, we agreed on a price, and we arranged a place and time for making the exchange. Until recently, I could have legally sold a gun in much the same way in 29 states.
In this issue: Access to quality data is vital for research, and two recent court decisions have affirmed our continued access to crucial data that isn’t available in any other state.
Since 1989, VPRP researchers have used California’s unique Dealer’s Record of Sale (DROS) data to conduct ground-breaking research on firearm-related violence that simply couldn’t be done anywhere else. Examples span the decades:
The U.S. prohibits firearm purchase among individuals with specific risk factors. These prohibitions are operationalized using background checks for firearm purchase. Despite these restrictions, prohibited persons have obtained firearms after passing background checks, sometimes with devastating effects.
Prohibiting the purchase and possession of firearms by those at risk of violence is an established approach to preventing firearm violence. Prior studies of legal purchasers have focused on convictions for specific crimes, such as violent misdemeanors and driving under the influence (DUI). We broaden that line of inquiry by investigating and comparing the associations between prior arrests for most categories of crime and subsequent arrest for violent offenses among legal handgun purchasers in California.
“More than 33,000 people have died in mass shootings since January 1, 2023. Not only are guns the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 19 and young adults age 25 and under, but young Black Americans are 14 times more likely than white youth to die of gun homicide.
How familiar are law enforcement officers (LEOs) with extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), and in what circumstances do they consider ERPOs to be appropriate?
FINDINGS
This survey study of 283 active-duty LEOs in states with ERPO laws found that knowledge of ERPOs was high, but willingness to use ERPOs varied. Across all provided scenarios, LEOs with ERPO training or experience were substantially more likely to support the use of ERPOs than those without.
