Reducing Gun Violence in Texas Joshua Horwitz Executive Director - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Joshua Horwitz

Executive Director Jhorwitz@efsgv.org 202-408-7560 x1001

New Approaches to Reducing Gun Violence in Texas

September 7, 2016

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Source: CDC’s WISQARS™ (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System). Fatal Injury Reports, 1999-2014, for National, Regional, and States

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Source: CDC’s WISQARS™ (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System). Fatal Injury Reports, 1999-2014, for National, Regional, and States

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1381 1311 1411 1506 1583 1702 1684 1744 1780 1789 1009 1033 1029 1006 1003 913 812 894 912 965 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Number of Deaths Year

Texas Firearm Deaths

Suicide Homicide

Source: CDC’s WISQARS™ (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System). Fatal Injury Reports, 1999-2014, for National, Regional, and States

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2 4 6 8 10 12 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Age-adjusted Firearm Death Rate per 100,000 Year

Age-adjusted Firearm Death Rate: Texas vs. United States

TX Firearm Suicide TX Firearm Homicide TX All Intents US Suicide US Homicide US All Intents

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Legal Context: Supreme Court recognizes legal right to a gun in the home for self defense But that right is not unlimited.

Who can exercise the right safely?

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Federal Prohibitors:

• Persons convicted of a felony; fugitives
• Persons who have been involuntarily committed to

a mental institution

• Those convicted of a misdemeanor crime of

domestic violence

• Those subject to permanent domestic violence

restraining orders

• Unlawful users or those addicted to a controlled

substance

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Texas Prohibitors:

• Persons convicted of a felony*
• Persons convicted of certain domestic violence

assault-related misdemeanors for five years

• Persons subject to domestic violence protective
• rders unless they are an active, full-time, paid

peace officer

Law enforcement officers are allowed to take a person into custody without a warrant if he or she has reason to believe that person has a mental illness and poses a substantial risk of serious harm. Under this provision, the individual’s firearms may be seized for up to 30 days pending a hearing.

Who should be prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms? Can evidence help us do a better job identifying risk?

I Turned to the Experts…

March 2013: Convened at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD

Public Health Researchers Mental Health Providers Medical Professionals Gun Violence Prevention Advocates Policy Experts Law Enforcement

Evidence Consensus Recommendations

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Individuals who are at increased risk

• f dangerous behavior should, at least

temporarily, be prohibited, where constitutionally acceptable, from purchasing and possessing firearms.

What we found:

Mental illness contributes very little to interpersonal violence but does play a significant role in suicide There are other risk factors for dangerous behavior

History of violence History of domestic violence Substance abuse

Current firearm prohibitions are inadequate

More to come from our panel

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#1 Mental Health Risk Factors #2 Other Risk Factors #3 Periods of Crisis Three-pronged approach to temporarily suspending access:

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• Involuntary hospitalization prohibition
• Violent misdemeanants;
• Temporary DV orders;
• DUIs, DWIs;
• Substance abuse
• Gun Violence Restraining Order

More to come from our panel

Major Recommendations

Texas should…

• Prohibit purchase & possession of firearms by

individuals who have been:

– Involuntarily hospitalized (and refine the restoration process to include a clinical evaluation and risk assessment) – Convicted of a violent misdemeanor – Convicted of two or more DUI or DWIs within a five- year period – Convicted of two or more misdemeanor crimes involving controlled substances in a five-year period

Major Recommendations (continued)

• Prohibit purchase or possession of firearms by all

persons subject to temporary domestic violence restraining orders, require the removal of firearms from persons subject to any type of domestic violence restraining orders, and

Create a Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO) mechanism

Today is an Opportunity

How does the evidence affect Texas policy? Where does my work fit in?

Consider the evidence

and

ask questions

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