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Are temporary restraining orders more likely to be issued when applications mention firearms?
Katherine A Vittes1, Susan B Sorenson
1School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Evaluation Review
|May 9, 2006
Summary
Restraining orders can prevent domestic violence injuries. However, federal firearm laws exclude some applicants, leaving them vulnerable to gun violence despite protection orders.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Criminology
- Law
Background:
- Restraining orders are crucial for domestic violence victim safety.
- Firearm access is a significant risk factor in domestic violence fatalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze firearm mentions in domestic violence restraining order applications.
- To assess the scope of federal firearm prohibitions for restraining order applicants.
- To recommend legal modifications for enhanced victim protection.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 1,354 domestic violence restraining order applications from a high-volume clinic.
- Examination of applicant-reported abuse descriptions, including firearm mentions.
- Comparison of firearm threat prevalence across different applicant groups.
Main Results:
- 89.2% of applicants were granted restraining orders.
- 16.0% of applicants mentioned firearms in their abuse descriptions.
- A subset of applicants, despite receiving orders, were not covered by federal firearm prohibitions due to relationship status.
Conclusions:
- Federal firearm laws exclude certain domestic violence victims from protection.
- These excluded individuals face similar firearm-related risks.
- Legal amendments are needed to extend firearm prohibitions to these vulnerable populations.
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