Insights about firearm ownership and opinion may help advance gun violence prevention policy

Patterns in gun ownership-related characteristics and motivations, such as the types and number of firearms owned and reasons for ownership, offer insights into how those owners might view proposals designed to prevent firearm-related harm.

Using the defining characteristics of the different classes of firearm owners, the UC Davis Health researchers then examined support for three firearm policy proposals. Two of the proposals involved a ban on the possession of high-capacity ammunition magazines, including either amnesty for handing in the high-capacity devices or a buyback. The third focused on regulating firearm access for individuals with multiple driving-under-the-influence (DUI) convictions.