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Firearm Background Checks in States With and Without Background Check Laws
Lisa Hepburn1, Deborah Azrael1, Matthew Miller2
1Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|October 28, 2021
Summary
Comprehensive background check laws reduce firearm transfers without checks. However, private firearm sales between acquaintances remain least likely to involve background checks, even in states with these laws.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Criminology
- Gun Policy Research
Background:
- Twenty-one states have enacted comprehensive background check laws for firearm transfers.
- These laws aim to extend background check requirements to a wider range of firearm sales.
- Gaps in background check coverage persist, particularly for private sales.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the proportion of firearm transfers occurring without background checks.
- To compare background check prevalence in states with and without comprehensive background check laws.
- To identify specific types of firearm transfers least likely to involve background checks.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2019 National Firearms Survey.
- Survey included 2,950 firearm owners nationwide.
- Analyzed firearm acquisition methods and background check status based on state laws.
Main Results:
- Firearm transfers without background checks were less common in states with comprehensive laws (12%) compared to those without (24%).
- Private sales between friends, family, or acquaintances had lower background check rates (40% without checks in states with laws vs. 74% in states without).
- Non-purchase transfers also showed lower background check frequency in states with comprehensive laws.
Conclusions:
- Comprehensive background check laws are associated with a reduction in firearm transfers lacking background checks.
- Private firearm sales, especially those not occurring at retail locations, remain a significant area where background checks are often bypassed.
- Further policy considerations may be needed to address background check loopholes in private firearm transactions.
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