Johns Hopkins report identifies weaknesses or
gaps in current Illinois law and offers recommendations to reduce gun violence
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BLOOMBERG
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Illinois
could reduce the number of people killed each year by gun violence by
implementing ten policies supported by available research, according to a new
report authored by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and
Research. The center is based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health.
The
recommended policies include strengthening the state's gun purchaser licensing
system by requiring an in-person application to law enforcement, fingerprinting
and safety training. New data in this report suggest that purchaser licensing
is more effective in reducing firearm homicides when these systems require
in-person applications with law enforcement agencies.
The
report also recommends expanding current firearm prohibitions for domestic
abusers and individuals convicted of multiple alcohol-related offenses, and
providing more funding for local initiatives proven to reduce gun violence.
The
report, Policies to Reduce Gun Violence in Illinois: Research, Policy Analysis,
and Recommendations, was commissioned by the Joyce Foundation. It is available
for download from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research here.
"Compared
to many other states, Illinois has relatively strong firearm laws overall, yet
many opportunities exist for the state to strengthen their approach to reducing
the diversion of guns for criminal use and gun violence," says the
report's lead author, Cassandra Crifasi, PhD, MPH, deputy director of the Johns
Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research. "Importantly, the policies and
strategies outlined in this report are applicable to other states considering
evidence-based approaches to reduce firearm homicide and suicide and don't
infringe upon the rights of law-abiding gun owners."
Currently,
Illinois is one of nine states that requires individuals to obtain a license or
permit from law enforcement--called a Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) in
Illinois--to acquire a handgun. Previous research from the report authors found
that handgun purchaser licensing is effective at reducing gun homicides,
suicides and shootings of law enforcement officers.
Illinois
is one of two states with permitting requirements that allows individuals to
apply for their license online or by mail. Illinois also does not require
applicants to undergo any training prior to application. The state also does
not mandate, as some states do, that individuals seeking to buy a firearm from
a private seller who is not a licensed gun dealer pass a background check;
private sellers are only required to check if the prospective purchaser's FOID
is valid. Illinois FOIDs are valid for 10 years, but if private sellers fail to
verify that a prospective purchaser's FOID is valid, current law provides no
criminal penalties.
The
individual who shot and killed five people last Friday in Aurora, Illinois was
reportedly prohibited from owning a firearm. According to media accounts, he
was approved for a FOID card after passing a background check and was able to
purchase a firearm despite having a felony conviction; Illinois' FOID
application does not require fingerprinting. When he later applied for a
concealed carry permit, which requires fingerprinting, state officials
discovered the prohibiting condition.
"Illinois
arguably has the weakest of all handgun purchaser licensing laws," says
report co-author Daniel Webster, ScD, MPH, director of the Johns Hopkins Center
for Gun Policy and Research. "Strengthening this existing law to require
an in-person application with fingerprinting, requiring the police to conduct a
background check while verifying the FOID card and requiring more frequent
renewal of licensing would be a wise investment in public safety."
Illinois
law does not require law enforcement to remove firearms when gun owners are
identified as prohibited after a FOID card has been issued. The report
recommends that if individuals are later identified as prohibited and fail to
surrender their FOID and/or firearms upon notice of revocation, law enforcement
should dispossess these prohibited individuals of their firearms.
In
addition to strengthening the state's purchaser licensing law and identifying
promising new legislation, the authors underscored the importance of robust
enforcement of new state laws that regulate retail gun sellers and create a
process for removing firearms from people planning to harm themselves or others
through court-ordered extreme risk protection orders.
Other
evidence-based recommendations include modifying existing domestic
violence-related firearm prohibitions to last the length of the order or two
years; extending firearm prohibition to individuals convicted of multiple
alcohol-related offenses; providing law enforcement discretion to deny
concealed carry licenses to those identified as legal but dangerous; banning
the sale and possession of new assault weapons and requiring current assault
weapon owners to register them; banning the possession of large-capacity magazines
(more than 10 rounds); and providing funding to support community programs such
as focused deterrence, outreach and conflict mediation involving high-risk
individuals.
"Addressing
gun violence requires a comprehensive evidence-based approach encompassing
enforcement of existing laws, strengthening of current laws identified as weak,
adoption of new evidence-based laws and funding for violence prevention
programs," says Crifasi. "By considering the policy recommendations
put forth in this report, Illinois has an opportunity to decrease their rates
of firearm homicide and suicide, and serve as a model for other states seeking
to reduce the toll of gun violence in their communities."
###
"Policies
to Reduce Gun Violence in Illinois: Research, Policy Analysis, and
Recommendations" was written by Cassandra K. Crifasi, Alexander McCourt
and Daniel W. Webster. All researchers are with the Johns Hopkins Center for
Gun Policy and Research. The report was published by the Johns Hopkins Center
for Gun Policy and Research.
This
research was supported by the Joyce Foundation.
From the PDF file:
ReplyDelete1. State and local law enforcement should vigorously implement and enforce new state laws establishing Extreme Risk Protection Orders to remove firearms from dangerous situations and state regulation of firearms sellers.
2. Modify the current firearm purchase license (i.e., FOID) system to require an in-person application, fingerprinting, and a duration of 5 years.
3. If, after issuance of a FOID card, individuals are identified as prohibited and fail to surrender their FOID and/or firearms upon notice of revocation, law enforcement should dispossess these prohibited individuals of their firearms.
4. Require private firearm sellers to verify the validity of the FOID card prior to transferring a firearm by attaching a criminal penalty for noncompliance.
5. During a private sale, require State Police to conduct a background check while verifying the validity of the FOID card to ensure the purchaser has not become prohibited since issuance.
6. Modify existing domestic violence-related firearm prohibitions to last the length of the order or 2 years, whichever is longer.
7. Extend firearm prohibition to individuals convicted of multiple alcohol-related offenses, like the standard for concealed carry licensing.
8. Provide law enforcement discretion to deny concealed carry licenses to those who law enforcement identify as legal but dangerous.
9. Ban the sale and possession of new assault weapons and require current owners of assault weapons to register their weapons with the state police. Ban the possession of LCMs.
10. Provide funding to support evidence-based local-level strategies to reduce gun violence such as focused deterrence and interventions with high-risk individuals that involve outreach, conflict mediation, and behavioral interventions proven to reduce violence.