Red Flag Laws
Red flag laws, otherwise known as extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), have shown great promise in reducing gun-related deaths by temporarily removing firearms from people who pose a risk of harm to themselves or others. In particular, this intervention has been proven to reduce suicides by firearm, domestic violence incidents, and mass shootings in the 21 states where they have been adopted.
At 97Percent, we’ve been researching the enforcement of these laws across the country and how to maximize their impact. Our recent study, “Empowering Enforcement: Maximizing Red Flag Laws for Gun Violence Prevention,” shows they’re most effective when implemented well and enforced uniformly.
On April 18, we briefed our findings and talked with experts in the field about how to utilize red flag laws to save more lives. Hosted by our executive director, Olivia Troye, our esteemed panel included:
Joshua Horwitz and Shannon Frattaroli from Johns Hopkins University, which just launched a national red flag law resource center with the U.S. Department of Justice
Christopher Carita, a former detective from the Ft. Lauderdale Police Threat Response Unit
Denyse Stoneback, founder of the National ERPO Working Group
If you missed it, please click here to watch the full discussion.