Research needs related to firearm rights restoration

In the USA, firearms are commonly involved in many incidents of serious interpersonal harm. Federal law prohibits the purchase and possession of firearms by certain high-risk groups including those with prior felony or domestic violence misdemeanor convictions. Evidence supports the effectiveness of these prohibitions, but little is known about how often prohibited persons later seek to have their firearm rights restored.

For this commentary, we systematically searched the empirical literature for information about who requests firearm rights restoration in the USA, how often it is granted, and what its consequences are. We found a dearth of empirical literature on this topic.

We call for attention to this gap in the research. There is a need to build an evidence base that can help inform state policy and courtroom practices regarding the eligibility, appropriateness, and risk for subsequent harm following firearm rights restoration among persons who are prohibited based on a criminal conviction history.