Youth Firearm Death Rates Higher in States with Weakest Gun Laws
Press Release
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
United with the Million Mom March
1225 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
www.bradycampaign.org
Contact:
Rob Wilcox
Phone: 202-898-0792
Brady Campaign, Million Mom March Team with State-Based Gun Safety Groups,
Detail Status of Gun Laws in All 50 States
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom
March and the nation's leading state-based gun violence prevention groups
today released "report cards" for every state in America, educating
citizens about how their state's leaders are doing on laws and policies
that promote a reduction in gun violence.
Sensible Safety Stars were awarded to ten states for protecting children
from gun violence last year. Sensible Safety Star states heeded the
concern of their residents by resisting efforts to weaken common sense
laws and by enacting laws that protect children from guns. Nine other
states were sent to the "Time-Out Chair" for irresponsibly weakening state
gun laws and thereby endangering the welfare of the states children.
Unfortunately, 31 states received grades of D or F in this year's report
cards. Not surprisingly, many of these states have child and teen firearm
death rates that are higher than the national average. For example, the
average firearms death rate of youth in the eight states that received an
F grade was 33% higher than the average firearms death rate for the 10
states that received an A or a B.
"In some states, real progress is being made in passing laws that will
help stem the tide of gun violence in America - but unfortunately, many
American states don't make the grade," said Michael Barnes, President of
the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence United with the Million Mom
March. "At the federal and the state level, there's a lot more that must
be done."
Report cards for each of the 50 states can be found at
www.bradycampaign.org.
Each state was carefully rated on seven types of legislation that protect
children from gun violence, with "extra credit" or demerits" awarded for
additional relevant legislation. The information in each state report card
includes:Juvenile Possession of Guns -- Is it illegal for a child to
possess a gun without supervision?Sale/Transfer of Guns to Juveniles -- Is
it illegal to sell a gun to a child?Safe Storage and Gun Owner
Accountability -- Are gun owners held responsible for leaving loaded guns
easily accessible to children?Childproof Guns and Gun Design Safety -- Are
guns required to have child-safety locks, loaded-chamber indicators and
other childproof designs? Are there restrictions on unsafe Saturday night
specials?Preemption -- Do cities and counties have authority to enact
local gun laws?Secondary "Private" Gun Sale Background Checks -- Are
background checks required at gun shows and between "private"
parties?Carrying Concealed Weapons (CCW) -- Is it legal to carry concealed
handguns in public?
Press Release
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
United with the Million Mom March
1225 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
www.bradycampaign.org
Contact:
Rob Wilcox
Phone: 202-898-0792
Brady Campaign, Million Mom March Team with State-Based Gun Safety Groups,
Detail Status of Gun Laws in All 50 States
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom
March and the nation's leading state-based gun violence prevention groups
today released "report cards" for every state in America, educating
citizens about how their state's leaders are doing on laws and policies
that promote a reduction in gun violence.
Sensible Safety Stars were awarded to ten states for protecting children
from gun violence last year. Sensible Safety Star states heeded the
concern of their residents by resisting efforts to weaken common sense
laws and by enacting laws that protect children from guns. Nine other
states were sent to the "Time-Out Chair" for irresponsibly weakening state
gun laws and thereby endangering the welfare of the states children.
Unfortunately, 31 states received grades of D or F in this year's report
cards. Not surprisingly, many of these states have child and teen firearm
death rates that are higher than the national average. For example, the
average firearms death rate of youth in the eight states that received an
F grade was 33% higher than the average firearms death rate for the 10
states that received an A or a B.
"In some states, real progress is being made in passing laws that will
help stem the tide of gun violence in America - but unfortunately, many
American states don't make the grade," said Michael Barnes, President of
the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence United with the Million Mom
March. "At the federal and the state level, there's a lot more that must
be done."
Report cards for each of the 50 states can be found at
www.bradycampaign.org.
Each state was carefully rated on seven types of legislation that protect
children from gun violence, with "extra credit" or demerits" awarded for
additional relevant legislation. The information in each state report card
includes:Juvenile Possession of Guns -- Is it illegal for a child to
possess a gun without supervision?Sale/Transfer of Guns to Juveniles -- Is
it illegal to sell a gun to a child?Safe Storage and Gun Owner
Accountability -- Are gun owners held responsible for leaving loaded guns
easily accessible to children?Childproof Guns and Gun Design Safety -- Are
guns required to have child-safety locks, loaded-chamber indicators and
other childproof designs? Are there restrictions on unsafe Saturday night
specials?Preemption -- Do cities and counties have authority to enact
local gun laws?Secondary "Private" Gun Sale Background Checks -- Are
background checks required at gun shows and between "private"
parties?Carrying Concealed Weapons (CCW) -- Is it legal to carry concealed
handguns in public?