Trace the Gun: The Link Between Gun Laws and Interstate Gun Trafficking


 

Publication Date: September 2010

Publisher: Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Author(s):

Research Area: Social conditions

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.