Research on Gun Violence and 
Gun Violence Prevention

In October 1994, the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence became the first national gun violence prevention organization to include a professional research component to support its work.  Since then, the Research Department has produced a significant body of cutting-edge research measuring the effectiveness of gun control laws and tracking independent studies of firearms deaths and injuries.  The work of the Research Department strengthens the arguments for sensible gun control by providing valuable quantitative support for the Center's objectives and by counteracting the misinformation spread by opponents of gun control.

Among the Research Department's work are numerous studies which show that gun laws work, including analyses of Maryland's assault pistol ban, Virginia's "One-Handgun-Per-Month" law, and the Brady Law in reducing gun-related crime.

Latest Studies

• Concealed Truth:  Concealed Weapons Laws and Trends in Violent Crime the United States: What the NRA doesn't want you to know about concealed weapons laws. 
• Parents, Kids and Guns: a groundbreaking nationwide survey of parents gun-owning behavior and children's access to guns in the home.  Conducted in conjunction with Peter Hart Research.
• Brady Law Reducing Gun Use in Crime
• Traffic Stop: How the Brady Act Disrupts Interstate Gun Trafficking The 1994 Brady Act has significantly reduced the amount of gun trafficking in the United States. As many criminals purchase their weapons from gun traffickers, it has had the concurrent effect of keeping guns out of the wrong hands. For an Executive Summary, please click her. You can also download the entire document in Adobe Acrobat PD form. 
• The Need for Cooling-Off Periods Statistical graphs of Traffic Stop are in two parts to facilitate downloads: 

Graphs 1 - 18 PDF

Graphs 19 -28 PDF

• U.S. Firearms Mortality Chart:  the latest firearms deaths chart for the United States.  Data provided by the National Center for Health Statistics
• State-by-State Firearms Mortality Charts:  the latest firearms deaths charts for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  Data provided by the Center for Disease Control's WONDER system.

The following charts graphically illustrate that gun violence affects everyone -- whether an injury is intentional or unintentional. These charts were created by our Research Department for Project Lifeline, our national education campaign with the medical and public health communities. Please note that the charts may take some time to download over slower modems. 

Firearm Death Varies with Age -- US

Firearm Death Varies with Age -- Oregon

US Firearm Death Rates, By Intent and Age

Suicide Completion: Comparison

Suicides and Unintentional Shootings at Home

• Firearms Facts - Some important facts about the issues of sensible gun regulation.. 
• Carrying Concealed Weapons Issue Brief
• Why "Instant Checks" Are No Subsitute for a Waiting Period for Handgun Purchases 
• One-Handgun-A-Month: A Responsible Step to Stop Gun Trafficking 
• An Alternative Q+A to John Lott's "More Guns, Less Crime"

Back to the Center's Homepage. 

Go to Handgun Control.