According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), 205,000 firearms were stolen from private owners each year from 2017 to 2021—figures that many experts believe are a significant undercount. Research confirms that lost and stolen firearms are more likely to be used in a crime. In response, fifteen states and some cities have enacted policies requiring gun owners to report the theft or loss of a firearm. However, questions have remained about the efficacy of these laws or how they should be implemented.
During this webinar, Jim Burch and Annelise Pietenpol from the National Policing Institute discussed a new, first of its kind research report that examines the implementation of state laws mandating reporting of lost and stolen firearms, and that offers recommendations for their improvement. The report reflects a culmination of research, including a review of literature and state policies and interviews with policing executives, investigators, and other experts throughout the United States.
Click here to view the slideshow presentation.
About The Joyce Foundation
Joyce is a nonpartisan, private foundation that invests in evidence-informed public policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes region.