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Selling a gun to a stranger without a background check: acceptable behaviour?
David Hemenway1, Deborah Azrael1, Matthew Miller2
1Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Summary
Most Americans believe selling guns to strangers without a background check is unacceptable, regardless of legality. This sentiment holds true even for gun owners, indicating a potential shift in public behavior and attitudes towards gun sales.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Criminology
- Sociology
Background:
- Guns sold without background checks contribute to firearms reaching individuals prohibited from owning them.
- While universal background check laws are widely supported, public perception of the acceptability of such sales is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess American adults' attitudes towards the acceptability of selling a gun to a stranger without a background check.
- To determine if these attitudes differ based on legal status.
Main Methods:
- A nationally representative survey of over 3900 American adults was conducted.
- Oversampling of gun owners was implemented using an online panel.
Main Results:
- Over 72% of American adults found selling a gun to a stranger without a background check unacceptable, irrespective of legal status.
- 11% disagreed with this statement.
- Young adults, men, conservatives, individuals with less than a high school education, and gun owners were less likely to agree.
Conclusions:
- A majority of Americans, including gun owners, perceive selling guns without background checks as unacceptable behavior.
- Addressing guns sold without background checks could mitigate their flow to felons.
- Changes in laws and societal norms/behaviors are crucial for reducing unregulated gun sales.
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