Abstract
BackgroundThe movement of firearm across state lines may decrease the effectiveness of state-level firearm laws. Yet, how state-level firearm policies affect cross-state movement have not yet been widely explored. This study aims to characterize the interstate movement of firearms and its relationship with state-level firearm policies.MethodsWe analyzed the network of interstate firearm movement using Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives firearm trace data (2010–2017). We constructed the network of firearm movement between 50 states. We used zero-inflated negative binomial regression to estimate the relationship between the number of a state’s firearm laws and number of states for which it was the source of 100 or more firearms, adjusting for state characteristics. We used a similar model to examine the relationship between firearm laws and the number of states for which a given state was the destination of 100 or more firearms.ResultsOver the 8-year period, states had an average of 26 (Standard Deviation [SD] 25.2) firearm laws. On average, a state was the source of 100 or more crime-related firearms for 2.2 (SD 2.7) states and was the destination of 100 or more crime-related firearms for 2.2 (SD 3.4) states. Greater number of firearm laws was associated with states being the source of 100 or more firearms to fewer states (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR] 0.58 per SD, p < 0.001) and being the destination of 100 or more firearms from more states (IRR1.73 per SD, p < 0.001).ConclusionsRestrictive state-level firearm policies are associated with less movement of firearms to other states, but with more movement of firearms from outside states. The effectiveness of state-level firearm-restricting laws is complicated by a network of interstate firearm movement.
Highlights
The movement of firearm across state lines may decrease the effectiveness of state-level firearm laws
Firearms move across state borders [8, 9], and this movement may be due in part to the firearm laws themselves
The implementation of a law limiting handgun purchases in Virginia resulted in a Takada et al BMC Public Health (2021) 21:1803 lower proportion of crime-related firearms recovered in the entire Northeast region that were traced to Virginia [10]
Summary
The movement of firearm across state lines may decrease the effectiveness of state-level firearm laws. How state-level firearm policies affect cross-state movement have not yet been widely explored. This study aims to characterize the interstate movement of firearms and its relationship with state-level firearm policies. Studies on firearm laws and firearm-related violence have focused on the association between the rates of firearm-related violence within the state and the aggregate number [1] or categories of state-level firearm laws [2,3,4,5,6]. A recent systematic review found that stronger state-level firearm laws are associated with reductions in firearm-related homicide rates; it found inconclusive and conflicting results for many of the different categories of laws [7]. The extent to which states can regulate firearm-related violence with state-level firearm laws depends on their ability to regulate the firearms within their borders. For pairs of states, increasing firearm law stringency in the source state was associated with reduced movement of firearms between two states, while increasing stringency in the destination state lead to increased movement [9, 13]
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