Permit to Purchase for Decline in Death:

An Analysis of Gun Law Requirements and Their Effect on Gun Violence Levels Across States

UC Davis Monica Silver monicasilver2@gmail.com

The Rising Gun Violence Epidemic

• There are over 30,000 deaths due to gun violence annually in the U.S.

• Over 77% of Americans support stronger gun laws, but only 13 states have gun licensing or permitting processes, including California

• Many groups, such as the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, have collected data to demonstrate that stricter gun laws do, in fact, lessen gun violence overall

• The question remaining is which permitting requirements make for the strictest and most efficient gun laws?

What is Permit to Purchase?

• State laws requiring firearms purchasers and owners to be “permitted” or “licensed” prior to the point of purchase

• Often include criminal background checks, mental health background checks, and safety training programs

• Some states require firearms purchasers to carry identification cards as part of their policy

Source: data from smartgunlaws.org

Laws Providing the Best Results

• Separating the 13 states with permit to purchase laws based on their requirements allows for insight into which are making the greatest impact on gun violence levels

• States with mental health background check requirements and safety training program requirements have less average gun deaths

• States also tend to have less average gun deaths when all firearm types require permits or licenses, not just handguns

Source: data from New Trajectory by Ceasefire Oregon

Implications for Future Gun Laws

• Including a mental health background check process in California would strengthen its’ permit to purchase policy

• Instituting a federal policy requiring all handgun purchasers, if not all types of firearms purchasers, to have permits or licenses will help lessen gun violence levels across the nation

• Tracking firearm purchases at the local and state level will help target states and regions struggling with instances of gun violence