The Hidden Role States Play in America's Gun Trafficking Crisis

"Using 2023 ATF firearm tracing data, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states with the worst gun trafficking problem. States are ranked by the share of firearms traced by the ATF that were originally purchased in a different state. Among the 50 states, the share of traced firearms that were originally sourced from a different state ranges from 15% to over 80%."

"The gun violence prevention group Giffords Law Center assigns each state a letter grade rating the strength of their firearm laws. Grades range from "A," for the states with the strongest laws, to "F," for the states with the weakest. Of the 10 states where the largest share of traced firearms came from out-of-state, nine have a gun law grade of "A" or "A-". Meanwhile, eight of the 10 lowest ranking states on this list have a grade of "D-" or lower."

"In addition to their public safety goals, gun control laws have substantial economic implications. The disparities in state-level firearm regulations fuel an illicit market that burdens not only public safety but also the economy. States with weaker laws contribute to increased trafficking, driving up law enforcement and judicial expenses in both the source and receiving states. Furthermore, these illegal activities undermine legitimate businesses, including firearm retailers, and exer"

State-level firearm regulations vary widely across the United States, producing a patchwork of laws that facilitates interstate gun trafficking. 2023 ATF firearm tracing data were used to rank states by the share of traced crime guns originally purchased in another state, with state shares ranging from about 15% to over 80%. States with the largest shares of out-of-state traced guns tend to have stronger gun control grades from Giffords Law Center, while low-share states often have weaker grades. The regulatory disparities generate an illicit market that increases law enforcement and judicial costs, burdens public safety, and undermines legitimate firearm businesses.

Read at 24/7 Wall St.