Sign up to receive email newsletters about the
latest research for the topic areas that
interest you.
Trace the Gun: The Link Between Gun Laws and Interstate Gun Trafficking
Publication Date: September 2010
Publisher(s): Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Series:
Special Collection: The Joyce Foundation
Topic: Social conditions (Safety and security)
Keywords: gun violence; illegal weapons; gun exports
Type: Report
Coverage: United States
Abstract:
“Trace the Gun” states that the key to understanding gun trafficking lies in “crime
gun trace data” gathered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF). It seeks to present a comprehensive analysis of gun trafficking patterns throughout the United States.
It explains where crime guns originate, where they are recovered in crimes, and whether state gun laws help curb the flow of these illegal weapons. The study concludes that states that have enacted strong gun laws have significantly lower crime gun export rates than states with weak gun laws.