Opinion: Here's what national research shows can address and prevent the epidemic of gun violence gripping America
The tragedies of the past two weeks have been profound, heartbreaking and entirely unacceptable — from the mass shooting in the Deer District in Milwaukee, to the shootings in Buffalo, New York; Laguna Woods, Calif.; and now in Uvalde, Texas.
The epidemic of gun violence is uniquely American and is entirely preventable. This is particularly true at a time when firearm sales have increased over 130% nationally in the past decade. There is evidence that when firearm sales increase, firearm-related violence and homicides increase.
Research has also demonstrated an associationbetween higher gun ownership and firearm homicides, making the need for policy changes essential to public safety and health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020 firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death for children and youth ages one to 19 for the first time in US history.
Although mass shootings often capture the attention and outrage of national media, the gun violence on the streets of American cities are having a devastating impact on the lives of children, families, and neighborhoods every day.
According to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission, more than 90% of lives lost to homicide in the last two years in Milwaukee involved a firearm. This is a preventable public health crisis that requires urgent, evidence-informed, and sustained policy change and programmatic investment in solutions that can literally save lives.
The following are a number of strategies, drawn from a variety of research and resources, that have shown promise for reducing firearm violence:
Safe storage
Research demonstrates that secure storage of firearms can play a role in reducing the risk of gun violence and injury. For example, secure storage of firearms can protect children and adults by preventing unintentional shootings and suicides involving a firearm and can limit access to firearms for individuals who present a risk to themselves or others. Safe storage strategies include keeping them unloaded, locked (with a gun lock device and in a locked storage cabinet), and stored separately from ammunition. There is a need to increase education, options, and access to safe storage.
Universal background checks and licensing
Federal law requires background checks for all gun sales by licensed gun dealers, but background checks are not currently required for guns sold by unlicensed dealers such as through private purchase, online sales, or gun shows. Current Wisconsin law does not prohibit people with felony convictions, domestic abuse restraining orders, or other factors that would prohibit them from purchasing a firearm from a licensed gun dealer to buy guns from other sources without a background check.
There is evidence that universal background checks on all gun sales can reduce the likelihood that guns will be diverted to the illegal market. In addition, states that require background checks combined with licensing requirements to purchase a gun were associated with a reduction in homicides and suicides.
Waiting period for firearm purchases
Some states have laws that require a waiting period between the purchase of a gun and when the buyer is able to take possession of that gun. This introduces a time delay between someone having a suicidal or other crisis and access to a gun. There is evidence that waiting periods may decrease suicide and homicide, particularly in situations of domestic violence.
Red flag or extreme risk protection orders
Family members, friends, and law enforcement are often the first people to see warning signs for individuals in crisis. Extreme Risk Protection laws, sometimes referred to as “Red Flag” laws, can provide a mechanism for family, friends, or law enforcement to prevent someone from accessing guns who is in the midst of a crisis and his is typically done by petitioning a court for a temporary order. There is evidence that states with the lowest gun death rates have similar laws in place.
Threat identification and assessment programs in schools
Intervening before an action of violence is one of the most critical areas for preventing violence in schools and gun violence overall. Utilizing tools such as conducting threat assessments and identification programs can help to intervene with potentially violent behavior. Additionally, regular monitoring of social media and intervening swiftly when concerning messages are present can prevent violence.
Disarming people convicted of hate crimes
According to Everytown, guns and hate are a fatal combination. In an average year, more than 10,300 hate crimes in the United States involve a firearm. In most of the U.S., some people convicted of hate crimes can still legally purchase and possess firearms. A strategy can be to pass laws to restrict the ability of individuals who have been convicted of a hate crime from legally buying or possessing a firearm.
Prevention of straw purchasing of firearms
Straw purchasing occurs when someone purchases a firearm with the intention of giving it to someone else who is prohibited from purchasing one, which is illegal under federal law. However, this is not regulated when a firearm is sold from one person to another and not all states have laws to prevent straw purchasing. Ways to combat straw purchasing are: Requiring universal background checks for firearm transfers (which has demonstrated a significant reduction in homicide rates); penalizing those who acquire firearms with the intent to transfer to a person who is prohibited from owning a firearm; and requiring gun owners to promptly report lost or stolen firearms to law enforcement.
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It is important to continue to invest in data collection and research about what works in gun violence prevention and further examine the impact of various intervention efforts, such as smart guns and violence interruption programs. Approaches to reduce firearm violence should also be coupled with an investment in addressing social and economic factors such as concentrated poverty and segregation that contribute to an overburden of violence in under-resourced communities. There is evidence that firearm homicide mortality is influenced by structural racism in the US.
We must continue to dispel the idea that gun violence is directly a result of mental illness, while at the same time, addressing the impact of trauma on individuals, families, and the community. We need to consider gun violence as an important and preventable public health issue. Most importantly, we all need to be part of the solution by supporting efforts such as the Milwaukee Blueprint for Peace and related initiatives aimed at a collective response to the reduction and prevention of gun violence.
The authors are staff members at the Comprehensive Injury Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Reggie Moore is the director of the Division of Violence Prevention; Connie Kostelac is the director of the Division of Data Surveillance and Informatics; and Terri deRoon-Cassini is the executive director. The goal of the Comprehensive Injury Center is a healthier and safer community for all through the advancement of injury prevention, community engagement and partnership, research, innovative clinical care, and policy.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Medical research helps provide answers for preventing gun violence
