Firearm Policy Proposals in Maryland, 2013 Jon S. Vernick, JD, MPH Associate Professor Johns Hopkins...

Firearm Policy Proposals in Maryland, 2013

Jon S. Vernick, JD, MPH

Associate Professor

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Co-Director

Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research

Homicide

Suicide

Unintent.

Legal Int.

Undeter.

Suicide: 19,392

Unintentional: 606

Homicide: 11,078

Distribution of Firearm-related Deaths in the United States, 2010

Total Firearm Deaths = 31,672

Non-Fatal Firearm Injuries

• About 2.3 non-fatal firearm injuries for every fatality

• An estimated 73,505 in 2010 (requiring at least ED treatment)

Source: CDC, WISQARS

Handgun

Rifle

Shotgun

Other Gun

Firearm Homicides by Type of Gun, 2010

Total Firearm Homicides for which Type of Gun is Known = 6,836

Handgun: 88%

Rifle: 5%Shotgun: 5% Other guns: 2%

Maryland Gun Deaths

• 538 deaths by gunshot in 2010 (NCHS)

• 312 homicides and 222 suicides

• Age-adjusted death rate (9.26/100,000) is 17th lowest among 50 states in 2010

Banning Assault Weapons

• An assault weapon is a civilian version of a military-style weapon

• Maryland currently bans assault “pistols” but not other types of assault weapons: i.e., rifles and shotguns

• Federal assault weapons ban allowed to expire in 2004.

Evaluation of 1994 Federal AWB

• AW rarely used in crime prior to ban (1-8% of all crime guns)

• Decrease in use of AW in crime post-ban• Non-significant 6.7% reduction in homicides

associated with the law• Copy-cat weapons readily available

(Koper and Roth, NIJ Research-in-Brief 1999)

Banning Large Capacity Ammunition Magazines

• Federal law outlawing future purchase or possession of LCMs >10 rounds allowed to expire in 2004.

• Current law in Maryland bans >20 round magazines.

• Proposal would reduce limit to > 10 rounds.

• LCMs applicable to many more types of shootings than assault weapons.

Permit-to-Purchase Licensing of Gun Owners

• States with both licensing and registration have a smaller proportion of crime guns coming from in-state(Webster & Vernick, Injury Prevention 2001)

• States with licensing laws have much less gun trafficking both within-state and to other states

• Maryland does not currently license owners• Governor’s proposal would add licensing

Child AccessPrevention Laws

• Maryland has a CAP Law.• Penalty is currently a misdemeanor

(max $1,000 fine).• Bill would enhance penalty to a felony

(max 3 years or $5,000 fine)• Good research evidence that CAP laws

reduce unintentional deaths among children and teen suicides.

• Evidence that stricter penalties help.

Mental Health and Guns

• Federal law prohibits those “adjudicated as a mental defective” or committed to a mental institution from owning guns.

• Information often missing from background check databases.

• Most persons with mental illness are not dangerous.

Mental Health and Guns, cont.

• MD law currently: 30 consecutive days in a medical institution for mental disorder

• Governor’s bill would add additional categories, including: not criminally responsible; incompetent to stand trial; involuntary admissions; guardianships

• A controversial area: need to balance public safety with desire to minimize stigma and not discourage care seeking

Reporting Lost and Stolen Guns

• Theory is that requiring gun owners to report lost/stolen guns enhances accountability.

• Maryland currently has no such law.• Bill would mandate reporting within 72

hours of discovery.• States with theft/loss reporting have

30% lower rates of gun trafficking.

Conclusion

• Many evidence-based policies proposed

• Center for Gun Policy and Research providing data, testimony, interviews.

• Also working at the federal level: universal background checks, etc.