New Study Shows That Universal Background Checks Save Lives

Boston University School of Public Health researcher Michael Siegel analyzed homicide data provided by the FBI and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and found that the information from both agencies demonstrates that controlling who has access to guns has much more impact on reducing gun-related homicides than bans on particular types of firearms.

Boston University: "Siegel’s latest study, published July 30, 2019, in the Journal of Rural Health, reinforces previous research findings that laws designed to regulate who has firearms are more effective in reducing shootings than laws designed to control what types of guns are permitted. The study looked at gun regulation state by state in comparison with FBI data about gun homicides, gathered from police departments around the country. Analysis revealed that universal background checks, permit requirements, “may issue” laws (where local authorities have discretion in approving who can carry a concealed weapon), and laws banning people convicted of violent misdemeanors from possessing firearms are, individually and collectively, significantly able to reduce gun-related deaths."

Siegel's research shows that this combination of laws can be quite effective.

Siegel, Boston University: "What surprised us the most was that in states that enacted a combination of universal background-check laws, laws prohibiting the sale of guns to people with violent misdemeanors, and concealed carry permit laws, the homicide rates were 35 percent lower than in states with none of those three kinds of laws. The practice of keeping guns out of the hands of people who are at the greatest risk for violence—based on a history of violence—appears to be the most closely associated with decreased rates of firearm homicide."

As America looks for answers in the wake of the El Paso and Dayton massacres, Siegel has some specific suggestions about which regulations would significantly reduce gun related homicides.

Siegel, BU.edu: "I believe that the three most important things that lawmakers can do to reduce gun violence in their home states are to pass laws that: one, require universal background checks; two, prohibit gun purchase or possession by anyone with a history of violence, whether it be a felony or a misdemeanor; and three, provide a mechanism, called red flag laws, to address people who are at an extreme risk of committing violence, not only to other people but to themselves."

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By: Don Lam & Curated Content