Firearm Laws: Restrictions on Firearms Acquisition

Task Force Finding*

Acquisition restrictions exclude people with specified characteristics—thought to indicate high risk of illegal or other harmful use of firearms—from purchasing firearms. Restriction characteristics include criminal histories (e.g., felony conviction or indictment, domestic violence restraining order, fugitive of justice, conviction on drug charges); personal histories (e.g., persons adjudicated to be “mentally defective,” illegal immigrants, those with dishonorable military discharge); or other characteristics (e.g., juveniles).

The evidence, consisting of a small number of qualifying studies with limitations in their design and execution, is insufficient to determine the effectiveness of acquisition restrictions on violent outcomes.

*From the following publication:

Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations to reduce violence through early childhood home visitation, therapeutic foster care, and firearms laws. [PDF - 71KB] Am J Prev Med 2005;28(2S1):6-10.

Review completed: October 2001