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.