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itemtype="https://schema.org/EducationalOrganization"> <span itemprop="logo" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject"> <meta itemprop="url" content="https://hub.jhu.edu/assets/themes/wphub/src/assets/images/logos/university-logo-small-horizontal-blue-no-clear-space.png" /> </span> <meta itemprop="name" content="Johns Hopkins University" /> </span> <span itemprop="image" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject"> <meta itemprop="url" content="https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/hub_thumbnail/public/gun_evidence.jpg" /> <meta itemprop="about" content="A handgun in an evidence bag" /> </span> <meta itemprop="abstract" content="An average of 124 people died from gun violence every day in 2020, according to a new report from the Center for Gun Violence Solutions" /> <div class="page-title-container row"> <div class="center force"> <h1 class="headline"><span itemprop="headline"> Report: CDC records highest-ever number of gun-related deaths in 2020 </span></h1> <h2 class="subheadline">An average of 124 people died from gun violence every day in 2020, according to a new report from the Center for Gun Violence Solutions</h2> </div> </div> <div class="hero-container row"> <div class="center force"> <div class="hero column force"> <div class="image column force image-landscape"><div class="image-container"><img src="https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/landscape/public/gun_evidence.jpg" alt="A handgun in an evidence bag" class="column" sizes="(min-width: 1680px) 948px, (min-width: 1280px) 825px, (min-width: 1024px) 734px, (min-width: 863px) 587px, (min-width: 768px) 642px, (min-width: 640px) 572px, (min-width: 412px) 476px, (min-width: 375px) 377px, 343px" srcset="https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/hub_medium/public/gun_evidence.jpg 420w, https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/soft_crop_630/public/gun_evidence.jpg 630w, https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/gun_evidence.jpg 825w, https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/soft_crop_1030/public/gun_evidence.jpg 1030w, https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/hub_large/public/gun_evidence.jpg 1194w, https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/soft_crop_1300/public/gun_evidence.jpg 1300w, https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/hub_xlarge/public/gun_evidence.jpg 1440w, https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/soft_crop_1600/public/gun_evidence.jpg 1600w, https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/soft_crop_1800/public/gun_evidence.jpg 1800w, https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/soft_crop_2000/public/gun_evidence.jpg 2000w, https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/soft_crop_2400/public/gun_evidence.jpg 2400w, https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/soft_crop_2880/public/gun_evidence.jpg 2880w"/></div><div class="caption column has-credit"><p class="credit"><span class="visuallyhidden">Credit: </span>Getty Images</p></div></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row"> <div class="center force"> <div itemprop="articleBody" class="body-copy column force"> <div class="byline"> <p> <span class="visuallyhidden">By</span> <span class="author" itemprop="author">Caitlin Hoffman</span> </p> <span class="sep" aria-hidden="true">/</span> <span class="visuallyhidden">Published</span> <meta itemprop="datePublished dateCreated" content="2022-05-02" /> <span class="publish-date convert-pubdate" data-timestamp="1651500900"> May 2, 2022 </span> </div> <p>A new report from the Johns Hopkins <a href="https://publichealth.jhu.edu/departments/health-policy-and-management/research-and-practice/center-for-gun-violence-solutions">Center for Gun Violence Solutions</a> analyzes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention firearm fatality data for 2020—a year that saw the highest number of gun-related deaths ever recorded by the CDC and a sharp increase in gun homicides. Among other things, the report concludes that states with the most robust gun laws have lower gun-related death rates.</p> <p>The report, <a href="https://publichealth.jhu.edu/sites/default/files/2022-04/2020-gun-deaths-in-the-us-4-28-2022.pdf">A Year in Review: 2020 Gun Deaths in the U.S.</a>, illustrates the enormous toll gun violence has in the U.S. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the 2020 CDC firearm fatality data, which was made public in December 2021; a look at demographic and state-level geographic differences; and a comparison of other injury fatalities. The report also highlights evidence-based policy recommendations states can implement to help curb gun violence in all its forms.</p> <div class="pullquote inline align-left light-blue"> "Some of these data are stunning, like the number of firearm homicides among Black women increasing by nearly 50%. We hope calling attention to them with context and recommendations will elevate the conversation around gun violence prevention." <div class="cite">Cassandra Crifasi</div><div class="role">Deputy director, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions</div></div> <p>Gun violence in the U.S. surged in 2020 as the country grappled with an unfolding pandemic, deep political divisions and social unrest, economic disruption, and social isolation. Using CDC mortality data, the analysis revealed that overall firearm-related deaths increased by 15% in 2020 to 45,222, the highest number ever recorded by the CDC since it began tracking firearm deaths in 1968. This translates to 124 individuals on average dying from gun violence every day. Firearm homicides increased 35% in 2020, with nearly 5,000 more homicides compared to 2019. While the number of firearm deaths increased to a record level in 2020, the rate—13.62 per 100,000 deaths—did not exceed historic highs of the 1990s.</p> <p>The 2020 data reveals striking differences across ages, gender, ethnicity, and U.S. states. As in recent years, gun violence was the leading cause of death for young people under age 25. Young people under 30 were nearly 10 times more likely to die by a firearm than from COVID-19 in 2020. On the other end of the age spectrum, people age 75 and older were at highest risk for dying by gun suicide, with a gun suicide rate twice the national average.</p> <p>In 2020, gun-related homicides disproportionately impacted Black people—and especially Black males—more than their white counterparts. Young Black males represent 2% of the total U.S. population but accounted for approximately 38% of all gun homicide deaths in 2020. Black children and teens face alarmingly high rates of gun victimization. More than half of all Black teens (15-19) who died in 2020—52%—were killed by gun violence. Black males ages 15 to 34 were over 20 times more likely to die by gun homicide than their white counterparts. There was a 49% increase in the number of gun homicides among Black females compared to 2019.</p> <p>Overall, males were five times more likely to die by gun homicide than females, and nearly seven times more likely to die by firearm suicide than females. The report authors note that firearm homicide rates are driven by high rates of firearm homicides among Black males. High rates of firearm suicides are driven by high rates of firearm suicides among white males.</p> <div class="teaser inline align-left column force has-image"><div class="thumbnail"><a href="https://hub.jhu.edu/tags/gun-policy/articles/"><img src="https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/hub_thumbnail/public/Gun_sale_060118.jpg" alt="Guns on a store display" /></a></div><div class="text"><div class="kicker">Read more</div><h5><a href="https://hub.jhu.edu/tags/gun-policy/articles/">Gun policy research</a></h5><div class="summary"><p>Learn about gun violence prevention research conducted at Johns Hopkins</p></div></div></div> <p>The report also put firearm fatalities in context with other injury fatalities, noting that injuries make up a substantial burden of premature death in the U.S. After overdose and poisoning deaths (97,034), firearm deaths—homicides and suicides (45,222)—were the second-leading cause of injury deaths in 2020, followed by falls (43,292) and motor vehicle traffic (40,698).</p> <p>The report analyzed 2020 fatality data collected by the CDC's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database, a publicly available database on an array of public health issues. The data is based on death certificates, which reflect the primary cause of death.</p> <p>"Some of these data are stunning, like the number of firearm homicides among Black women increasing by nearly 50%," says Cassandra Crifasi, associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management and deputy director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. "We hope calling attention to them with context and recommendations will elevate the conversation around gun violence prevention."</p> <p>The year 2020 also saw a record number of gun sales. The report cites research that found that nearly twice as many of these new guns showed up at crime scenes in 2020 than in 2019.</p> <p>The report found wide variations among states. States with the highest gun death rates in 2020 were rural states in the South or West. Mississippi had the highest rate of gun deaths in 2020: 28.63 per 100,000 deaths, followed by Louisiana at 26.26 per 100,000, and Wyoming at 25.9 per 100,000. Conversely, Hawaii had the lowest gun death rate: 3.37 per 100,000, followed by Massachusetts at 3.74 per 100,000 deaths, and New Jersey at 5.03 per 100,000.</p> <p>States that had the highest gun death rates in 2020 had stand-your-ground legislation, or laws that authorize individuals to use lethal force even in situations they might have otherwise been able to walk away from, and three of the five had permitless carry laws, which allow individuals to carry a concealed gun in public without a permit.</p> <p>The researchers note that the states with the lowest gun death rates have stronger gun laws. Each of the five states with the lowest gun death rate had both the following gun laws in place in 2020: a firearm purchaser licensing law or a waiting period and an Extreme Risk Protection Order law. Purchaser licensing laws require an individual to apply for and obtain a license before purchasing a firearm. The report authors recommend states implement such laws to curb gun violence and note that these laws are supported by more than 75% of adults, including more than 60% of gun owners and Republicans. Extreme Risk Protection Orders are a type of firearm removal law that create a civil process allowing law enforcement, family members, and, in some states, medical professionals, to petition a court to temporarily separate someone at risk of harming themselves or others from their firearms. The report authors recommend that states put in place firearm removal laws such as Extreme Risk Protection Orders and Domestic Violence Protection Orders, which protect victims and survivors of domestic abuse, in order to limit gun violence.</p> <p>"While gun violence affects people from all walks of life, the burden is not distributed evenly across the U.S. As the report details, gun violence varies widely by state and across demographic groups," says Ari Davis, policy adviser at the Bloomberg School's Center for Gun Violence Solutions and lead author of the report. "Policymakers who want to take action can look to states with lower gun-related deaths and adopt these evidence-based strategies like purchaser licensing and firearm removal laws."</p> <div class="taxonomy"> <p>Posted in <a href='/health/'>Health</a></p> <p>Tagged <a href='/tags/gun-policy/articles/'>gun policy</a>, <a href='/tags/center-gun-violence-solutions/articles/'>center for gun violence solutions</a></p> </div> </div> <div role="complementary" aria-label="Sidebar" class="minimal sidebar fixable column"> <div class="social section force" data-view="social"> <div class="share-icon twitter"> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhub.jhu.edu%2F2022%2F05%2F02%2Fhighest-number-of-gun-related-deaths-in-2020-report%2F&text=Report%3A%20CDC%20records%20highest-ever%20number%20of%20gun-related%20deaths%20in%202020&via=HubJHU&related=JohnsHopkins" target="_blank" class="gtm-social-share" data-type="Twitter"> <i class="fa-brands fa-fw fa-x-twitter"></i> <span 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firearm-related deaths, according to Bloomberg School study </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="article teaser column force has-image" > <div class="thumbnail"> <a class="force" href="https://hub.jhu.edu/2020/06/15/report-outlines-recommendations-for-reducing-gun-violence/" data-label="Study: Focused approach to policing could reduce gun violence"> <div class="image column force image-landscape"><div class="image-container"><img src="https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/hub_thumbnail/public/bullet_sidewalk_.jpg" alt="Bullet casings on a sidewalk beside police evidence markers" class="column" sizes="(min-width: 1680px) 57px, (min-width: 1280px) 78px, (min-width: 1024px) 78px, (min-width: 863px) 78px, (min-width: 768px) 126px, (min-width: 640px) 112px, (min-width: 412px) 94px, (min-width: 375px) 96px, 87px" srcset="https://api.hub.jhu.edu/factory/sites/default/files/styles/hard_crop_landscape_240/public/bullet_sidewalk_.jpg 240w, 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type="application/json">{"imageSizes":[456,333,296,237,347,309,258,342,311],"tags":[{"_links":{"self":{"href":"\/tags\/454"}},"id":454,"name":"gun policy","slug":"gun-policy","type":"tag","weight":0,"_embedded":{"image_thumbnail":null},"url":{"articles":"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/tags\/gun-policy\/articles\/","events":"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/tags\/gun-policy\/events\/"}},{"_links":{"self":{"href":"\/tags\/506"}},"id":506,"name":"center for gun violence solutions","slug":"center-gun-violence-solutions","type":"tag","weight":0,"_embedded":{"image_thumbnail":null},"url":{"articles":"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/tags\/center-gun-violence-solutions\/articles\/","events":"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/tags\/center-gun-violence-solutions\/events\/"}}],"topics":[{"_links":{"self":{"href":"\/topics\/31"}},"id":31,"name":"Health","slug":"health","type":"topic","weight":2,"_embedded":{"image_thumbnail":null},"parent":null,"url":{"articles":"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/health\/"}}],"related_content":[{"_links":{"self":{"href":"\/articles\/40462"},"related_content":[{"href":"\/articles\/38733","_embedded":[]}]},"id":40462,"type":"article","publish_date":1597954200,"slug":"gun-purchaser-licenses-linked-to-lower-firearm-homicide-suicide","short_url":"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/2020\/08\/20\/gun-purchaser-licenses-linked-to-lower-firearm-homicide-suicide\/","format":"feature","headline":"Handgun purchaser licenses associated with lower firearm homicide, suicide rates","alt_headline":"Handgun purchaser licenses associated with lower firearm homicide, suicide rates","social_headline":null,"subheadline":"Comprehensive background checks alone were not associated with reduction in firearm-related deaths, according to Johns Hopkins study","teaser_kicker":"Gun policy","article_kicker":null,"body":"<p>State handgun purchaser licensing laws—which go beyond federal background checks by requiring a prospective buyer to apply for a license or permit from state or local law enforcement—appear to be highly effective at reducing firearm homicide and suicide rates, according to a new analysis of gun laws in four states from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.<\/p>\n\n<p>The study, <a href=\"https:\/\/ajph.aphapublications.org\/doi\/10.2105\/AJPH.2020.305822\">published online today in the <em>American Journal of Public Health<\/em><\/a>, looked at changes in gun laws in Connecticut, Missouri, Maryland, and Pennsylvania and modeled trends in firearm homicide and suicide rates for up to a 22-year period, comparing actual rates to calculated approximations of the same statistics if the firearm policies under investigation had not been enacted.<\/p>\n\n<p>Connecticut's purchaser licensing law, enacted in 1995, was associated with a 28% decrease in firearm homicide rates and a 33% decrease in firearm suicides from 1996 to 2017. Firearm suicide rates fell 23% from 1996 to 2006 and dropped even more drastically—40.5%—from 2007 to 2017, when Connecticut increased its use of a law that allows police to temporarily remove firearms from individuals threatening to harm themselves or others.<\/p>\n\n<p>In contrast, Missouri's repeal of its purchaser licensing law in 2007 was associated with a 47% increase in the rate of firearm homicides and a 23.5% increase in firearm suicide rates from 2007 to 2016.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"pullquote inline align-left light-blue\">\n\n \"So much of the gun policy discussion focuses on background checks alone. We need to recognize that background checks are necessary for identifying people prohibited from accessing a firearm, but, unless complemented by licensing, our research indicates they are not sufficient to reduce gun fatalities.\"\n\n <div class=\"cite\">Alex McCourt<\/div><div class=\"role\">Assistant scientist, Center for Gun Policy and Research<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>The researchers also looked at two states that implemented comprehensive background check laws for handguns that did not include purchaser licensing requirements. Maryland's implementation of comprehensive background check laws in 1996 was associated with a 17.5% increase in firearm homicide rates from 1997 to 2013. The law was not linked with significant changes in firearm homicide rates outside of Baltimore City. Maryland's background check requirements were associated with a 15% decline in firearm suicides; however, nonfirearm suicides also declined.<\/p>\n\n<p>The study did not examine Maryland's purchaser licensing law, enacted in 2013, as there were too few years of post-implementation data available.<\/p>\n\n<p>Pennsylvania enacted a comprehensive background check law in 1996 which was associated with a 21.5% increase of firearm homicide rates and a non-significant change in firearm suicides. Like Maryland, it did not have a purchaser licensing requirement during the study period.<\/p>\n\n<p>The findings contribute to a growing body of evidence that purchaser licensing with comprehensive background checks is a highly effective policy for reducing gun-related deaths.<\/p>\n\n<p>\"So much of the gun policy discussion focuses on background checks alone,\" says lead author <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jhsph.edu\/faculty\/directory\/profile\/3794\/alexander-mccourt\">Alex McCourt<\/a>, assistant scientist with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jhsph.edu\/research\/centers-and-institutes\/johns-hopkins-center-for-gun-policy-and-research\/index.html\">Center for Gun Policy and Research<\/a> in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Bloomberg School. \"We need to recognize that background checks are necessary for identifying people prohibited from accessing a firearm, but, unless complemented by licensing, our research indicates they are not sufficient to reduce gun fatalities.\"<\/p>\n\n<p>Federal law requires that a prospective buyer undergo a background check if they purchase a firearm, but only if they purchase it from a licensed dealer. Twenty-two states have extended this requirement to apply to private firearm transfers. Nine of these states, including Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and North Carolina, and the District of Columbia have passed laws that require prospective buyers to first obtain a license or permit-to-purchase, at least for handguns.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"teaser inline align-left column force has-image\"><div class=\"thumbnail\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/tags\/gun-policy\/articles\/\"><img src=\"https:\/\/api.hub.jhu.edu\/factory\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/hub_thumbnail\/public\/Gun_sale_060118.jpg\" alt=\"Guns on a store display\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"text\"><div class=\"kicker\">Read more<\/div><h5><a href=\"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/tags\/gun-policy\/articles\/\">Gun policy research<\/a><\/h5><div class=\"summary\"><p>Learn about gun violence prevention research conducted at Johns Hopkins<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>Each state is different, but states with such licensing laws typically require gun buyers to apply for a license with a state or local law enforcement agency, pass a background check, submit fingerprints, and, in some cases, show evidence of gun safety training. Use of an applicant's fingerprints allows law enforcement to more accurately identify an individual's prior convictions or other prohibiting conditions that might otherwise be missed. States with licensing laws typically have more thorough processes for checking backgrounds, allow law enforcement more time to conduct those checks, and\/or have mandatory waiting periods.<\/p>\n\n<p>For the study, the researchers compared four statistics—firearm homicide, nonfirearm homicide, firearm suicide, and nonfirearm suicide rates—in the four selected study states to the same statistics in synthetic control states—modeled states created to reflect what would have happened if a state did not adopt comprehensive background checks and\/or purchaser licensing laws during the same time period.<\/p>\n\n<p>The study periods for each state were determined by the amount of data available following the law change and the state's policy landscape. The researchers looked at Pennsylvania data from 1985-2017, Maryland data from 1985-2013, Missouri data from 1997-2016, and Connecticut data from 1985-2017.<\/p>\n\n<p>Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's annual mortality data from 1985-2017, the researchers calculated the percent change in homicides and suicides, both with and without involvement of a firearm, between the state with the policy of interest and its synthetic control.<\/p>\n\n<p>The study also found that for purchaser licensing laws, rates of homicides and suicides that did not involve firearms did not change significantly in Connecticut relative to its synthetic control. In Missouri, there was an 18% increase in nonfirearm homicide rates associated with the repeal of the state's handgun purchaser licensing law and no significant change in nonfirearm suicide rates. The significant increase in nonfirearm homicide in Missouri suggests that factors other than the law's repeal may have contributed to rising homicide rates from 2008-2016.<\/p>\n\n<p>The researchers found that following the implementation of comprehensive background check laws, Maryland saw a 33% increase in nonfirearm homicide rates and a 22% decrease in nonfirearm suicides relative to the control states. In Pennsylvania, nonfirearm homicide rates were 10% lower than the synthetic control and the state saw a 12% decrease in nonfirearm suicides.<\/p>\n\n<p>The study also examined if homicide increases in Maryland and Pennsylvania might be partially explained by factors unique to large cities. When Baltimore was excluded from the Maryland analysis, comprehensive background check laws were not associated with significant changes in either firearm or nonfirearm homicides, suggesting that increases in state homicide rates may have been specific to Baltimore. Unlike Maryland, however, firearm homicide and nonfirearm homicide rates increased when Philadelphia data was excluded from the Pennsylvania models.<\/p>\n\n<p>The researchers suggest that, in addition to adding licensing requirements, comprehensive background check laws can be more effective by more robustly enforcing the laws to promote compliance, broadening prohibiting conditions, improving recordkeeping, and expanding the time to complete the background checks.<\/p>\n\n<p>\"Purchaser licensing has an extremely strong evidence base and research has consistently found protective effects on a range of issues,\" says co-author <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jhsph.edu\/faculty\/directory\/profile\/3089\/cassandra-crifasi\">Cassandra Crifasi<\/a>, deputy director of the center. \"These laws also have broad public support among Americans, including the majority of gun owners. States looking to advance evidence-based policies to reduce gun violence should consider a purchaser licensing law.\"<\/p>\n","excerpt":"Comprehensive background checks alone were not associated with reduction in firearm-related deaths, according to Bloomberg School study","long_excerpt":"Comprehensive background checks alone were not associated with reduction in firearm-related deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins study. \u201cSo much of the gun policy discussion focuses on background checks alone,\" says researcher Alex McCourt. \"We need to recognize that background checks are necessary for identifying people prohibited from accessing a firearm, but, unless complemented by licensing, our research indicates they are not sufficient to reduce gun fatalities.\u201d","author":"Bloomberg School of Public Health staff 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480w"},"_embedded":[]}],"social_thumbnail":null,"file_assets":null},"url":"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/2020\/08\/20\/gun-purchaser-licenses-linked-to-lower-firearm-homicide-suicide\/","meta":[],"permalink":"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/2020\/08\/20\/gun-purchaser-licenses-linked-to-lower-firearm-homicide-suicide\/","breadcrumbs":[]},{"_links":{"self":{"href":"\/articles\/39958"},"related_content":[{"href":"\/articles\/38733","_embedded":[]},{"href":"\/articles\/33364","_embedded":[]}]},"id":39958,"type":"article","publish_date":1592251200,"slug":"report-outlines-recommendations-for-reducing-gun-violence","short_url":"https:\/\/hub.jhu.edu\/2020\/06\/15\/report-outlines-recommendations-for-reducing-gun-violence\/","format":"feature","headline":"Study: Focused approach to policing could reduce gun violence","alt_headline":"A focused approach to policing could reduce gun violence","social_headline":null,"subheadline":"Survey of residents in areas of Baltimore most affected by gun violence finds that 'stop-and-search' policing isn't effective, erodes community trust in police; New report outlines recommendations","teaser_kicker":"Policing+Community","article_kicker":null,"body":"<p>A new report from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jhsph.edu\/research\/centers-and-institutes\/johns-hopkins-center-for-gun-policy-and-research\/\">Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research<\/a> at the Bloomberg School of Public Health finds that broad \"stop-and-search\" practices used for many years by Baltimore police to look for illegally possessed guns have minimal, if any, impact on gun violence. These practices also result in mental and physical harm to those who are unjustifiably searched and serve to undermine community trust in police.<\/p>\n\n<p>The researchers also found that residents of communities most impacted by gun violence in Baltimore want more focused and accountable law enforcement to reduce gun violence.<\/p>\n\n<p>The report, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jhsph.edu\/research\/centers-and-institutes\/johns-hopkins-center-for-gun-policy-and-research\/_docs\/reducing-violence-and-building-trust-gun-center-report-june-4-2020.pdf\"><em>Reducing Violence and Building Trust: Data to Guide Enforcement of Gun Laws in Baltimore<\/em><\/a>, was written prior to the recent killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and the resulting protests opposing law enforcement violence. While the report outlines recommendations for Baltimore, they hope their findings will also influence gun law enforcement policy in other American cities.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"pullquote inline align-left light-blue\">\n\n \"Communities most impacted by gun violence want greater focus on violent offenders with guns and stronger accountability measures to reduce illegal searches.\"\n\n <div class=\"cite\">Daniel Webster<\/div><div class=\"role\">Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management<\/div><\/div>\n\n<p>\"Communities most impacted by gun violence want greater focus on violent offenders with guns and stronger accountability measures to reduce illegal searches,\" says project leader <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jhsph.edu\/faculty\/directory\/profile\/739\/daniel-webster\">Daniel Webster<\/a>, professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management and director of the Center for Gun Policy and Research at the Bloomberg School. \"As it turns out, what residents of communities hardest hit by gun violence in Baltimore want are policies that research has shown to be effective in curbing gun violence.\"<\/p>\n\n<p>The researchers conducted 200 household surveys and four focus group discussions in 2018 in parts of West and East Baltimore that experience high levels of gun violence. The report also draws on analyses of law enforcement data in Baltimore, law enforcement practices in other cities, a 2018 review of proactive policing by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, and a survey of practices from other law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\n\n<p>Among the report's findings:<\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Surveyed residents had a high level of concern about illegal gun carrying: 77% were concerned about people illegally carrying guns.<\/li>\n<li>They also had a high level of concern about stop-and-search practices. Half of respondents reported that police make too many stops and searches. Nearly two out of three respondents thought police did not stop those who are responsible for most of the violence.<\/li>\n<li>There was support for more transparency and oversight of enforcement of gun laws. 90% of residents wanted law enforcement leaders to track the outcomes from arrests for illegal gun possession—i.e., how many cases were dismissed due to illegal searches or evidence of officers planting weapons and how many resulted in guilty pleas or convictions. 88% wanted prosecutors to review officers' body-worn camera footage, as there was widespread doubt about officers' testimony about weapon-related arrests.<\/li>\n<li>There was support for greater accountability: 54% thought making data public on gun charges dismissed due to illegal searches and community-member participation on police oversight would increase trust in police.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>The report also found that highly focused enforcement of gun laws consistently led to fewer shootings in Baltimore and in other cities where research on focused gun carrying suppression has been studied. The same was true for focused-deterrence initiatives which couple the prospects of incarceration for shootings with social services to support those at highest risk for committing violence.<\/p>\n\n<p>The report was motivated by the dual crises of Baltimore's record-setting homicide rates and community lack of trust in police. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/2018\/09\/25\/baltimore-homicide-murder-rate-fbi-statistics-death-crime-killings\/1426739002\/\">Baltimore's homicide rate in 2019 was the highest<\/a> for any U.S. city of more than 500,000 people, at 58 per 100,000 residents. Almost <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baltimoresun.com\/news\/crime\/bs-md-ci-2017-homicide-data-breakdown-20180103-story.html\">90% of the city's homicides<\/a> are committed with guns. In recent years, the Baltimore Police Department has been marred by controversy and scandal, including 15 members of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vox.com\/policy-and-politics\/2018\/2\/2\/16961146\/baltimore-gun-trace-task-force-trial?fbclid=IwAR2nmBfbjvhr1MVKBfO-iR6fWFzLfNq62M0fUXn7_HZVJuIkh1shVl17QJc\">Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force<\/a> being charged and found guilty of committing serious crimes. Since 2017, the department has been subject to a federal consent decree mandating reforms in the wake of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation detailing a pervasive pattern and practice of unconstitutional policing.<\/p>\n\n<p>Based on these findings, the report's authors recommend that Baltimore police adopt a more focused strategy to enforce gun laws that is driven by intelligence and data from criminal investigations; targets high-risk individuals; is led by small teams of officers trained in constitutional policing who work out of police districts rather than the central police headquarters; and is conducted with close supervision and oversight to promote trust in the police in local communities.<\/p>\n\n<p>The report's recommendations for Baltimore include:<\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Enforcement of gun laws should be highly focused and led by experienced officers who are closely supervised and trained in constitutional policing. These officers should work out of individual police districts rather than the central police headquarters.<\/li>\n<li>The Office of the State's Attorney should collect and share data with the Baltimore Police Department on all gun charges, prosecution outcomes, and reasons for case dismissals including illegal searches and improper evidence handling.<\/li>\n<li>Police supervisors should use these data to monitor gun arrest outcomes for each officer, including cases dismissed due to an illegal search, and use the data to promote practices that are lawful and promote community trust in police.<\/li>\n<li>Baltimore should implement a focused-deterrence strategy, or Group Violence Intervention, which involves identifying individuals and groups that are driving a large share of shootings. This strategy would require coordination among police and prosecutors to collect evidence and warn identified individuals about harsh sanctions if they do not stop the violence. The deterrence strategy should also include offering assistance to high-risk individuals including comprehensive social services and support from respected members of the community to stop the violence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>The authors contend that reforms that increase police accountability and residents' trust in the police could also be helpful in addressing another challenge that is contributing to persistently high homicide rates in Baltimore: a growing number of unsolved homicides that can fuel retaliatory violence.<\/p>\n\n<p>\"What we're calling for is, in essence, stronger quality control processes for enforcement of gun laws,\" says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jhsph.edu\/faculty\/directory\/profile\/3089\/cassandra-crifasi\">Cassandra Crifasi<\/a>, deputy director at the Center for Gun Policy and Research at the Bloomberg School and one of the report's co-authors. \"Enforcement of gun laws in Baltimore should be done in a focused, evidence-based way to deter gun violence, bring to justice those who commit gun violence, and build trust in police in affected communities.\"<\/p>\n\n<p>Adds Webster: \"These strategies to reduce violence and build trust could apply to cities across the country that have high rates of gun violence and are seeking to enhance police accountability. We hope this report and its recommendations will be translatable across communities.\"<\/p>\n\n<p>The project was funded by the <a href=\"https:\/\/americanhealth.jhu.edu\/\">Bloomberg American Health Initiative<\/a> of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the Abell Foundation.<\/p>\n","excerpt":"Survey of residents in areas of Baltimore most affected by gun violence finds that \"stop-and-search\" policing isn't effective, erodes community trust in police; New report outlines recommendations","long_excerpt":"Survey of residents in areas of Baltimore most affected by gun violence finds that \"stop-and-search\" policing isn't effective and erodes community trust in police. 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