Innovative Gun Control Idea Gains Support

In the post-Parkland era, gun control continues to resurface in the news cycle as an issue of importance. While nearly seven out of 10 Americans want serious change in gun policy, national legislation hasn’t reflected this opinion. But one innovative proposal at the state level may change the terms of the debate. A policy called Extreme Risk Protection Order, also known as a Gun Violence Restraining Order or sometimes a “red flag law,” has garnered significant bipartisan support. ERPOs are currently in place in 16 states and are up for a vote in seven more. In simple terms, an ERPO sets up a process for reporting to authorities a fellow citizen who displays distressing behavior. After a legal hearing where the so-called respondent is often not present, some combination of a judge, law enforcement, and a medical professional decide if there is enough evidence to confiscate the respondent’s firearm. After a set period of time, the person subject to the order can have his firearm returned. This “cooling off” period can make all the difference, according to Dr. Garen Wintemute, a professor at University of California, Davis. “A temporary reduction in risk achieved by firearm recovery and purchase prohibition also allows an opportunity to reduce risk by other means, including medical or mental health treatment or social service intervention,” said Wintemute, who is director of UC-Davis’ Violence Prevention Research Program. It’s an approach being tried across the country. Maryland alone issued 258 ERPOs from October 2018 through March of this year. According to analyses by Everytown Research, Indiana’s suicide rate fell by 7.5% in the 10 years subsequent to its ERPO law taking effect, and in Connecticut one suicide was averted for every 11 guns removed...MORE