Study Says Federal Laws Requiring Universal Background Checks Could Reduce Gun Violence
Researchers are calling for tighter gun control laws in the aftermath of a study that found that background checks could drastically reduce the total number of gun deaths in the United States.
The study was published in The Lancet, a UK medical journal, and indicated that federal laws imposing more stringent background checks could reduce U.S. gun-related deaths by 90 percent or more.
Bindu Kalesan, a medicine professor at Boston University and one of the co-authors of the study, said that the researchers examined data on gun deaths in all 50 states and looked at different types of state laws on gun control, including background checks and child access prevention laws. Kalesan said that the goal of the researchers was to determine “which restrictive gun laws really work.”
The state laws that were found to have the greatest impact on gun-related fatalities were universal background checks for firearms and universal background checks for ammunition. The researchers used the data on state gun control laws to estimate that if these same state laws requiring universal background checks for both firearm purchases and ammunition purchases were applied at the federal level, the U.S. gun death rate would go down considerably.
Strict Gun Control Laws in New Jersey
New Jersey is one of a number of states that already require private sellers of firearms to perform background checks on potential buyers. NJ law also requires anyone trying to buy ammunition to first obtain a license or a permit. However, gun control experts say, it is still possible for individuals to skirt these universal background check laws by driving across state borders and buying guns or ammo in a state that does not require a background check. That’s why gun control proponents are pushing for the federal government to impose stricter gun laws.
For more information on gun deaths in the U.S., read the CNN.com article, “Study: 3 Federal Laws Could Reduce Gun Deaths by More than 90%.”
NJ law imposes mandatory terms of incarceration for Graves Act offenses. That’s why it is crucial for you to speak with a qualified criminal defense attorney if you have been charged with a gun crime in New Jersey. Contact the experienced criminal defense lawyers at the Law Offices of John W. Tumelty today to schedule a free consultation about your case.
