Friday Finds
Our weekly roundup of the latest gun violence prevention news
On Fridays we highlight articles and videos from the gun violence prevention realm that might’ve been missed during your busy week.
A Trace Analysis of 150 U.S. Cities Shows One of the Greatest Drops in Gun Violence — Ever
“The national nature of the phenomenon is largely a result of federal policy…. The American Rescue Plan Act, passed in 2021 included $130.2 billion to help counties and cities…. but for many communities it was the first direct federal funding ever received. The next year, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act designated $250 million over five years for community-based violence prevention initiatives, and $750 million for state programs…. Now, much of that funding has dried up, and community-based groups across the nation are being told their funding won’t be renewed.”
Trump isn’t sending troops to cities with highest crime rates, data shows
“Of the 10 cities population 250,000 or more with the highest violent crime rates, Trump has sent National Guard troops to just one: Memphis, Tennessee.”
Mapped: How do Gun-Related Death Rates Vary by State?
“The map above, created by USAFacts using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), shows the age-adjusted rate of firearm deaths per 100,000 residents in each U.S. state in 2024.”
Opinion | As cities grow safer, gun violence spikes in rural America
Wilson also noted that sociologist James Tuttle uses “Murder Valley” to describe an area of 21 contiguous counties that includes the cities of Memphis, Tennessee, and Jackson, Mississippi, and much of the Arkansas Delta and Mississippi Delta. If the area were its own nation, Tuttle writes, it would have the fifth-highest homicide rate in the world….”
As Government Shutdown Continues, ATF Resumes Processing of National Firearms Act (NFA) Machine Gun, Silencer, and Short-Barreled Rifle Applications
“While some awaiting processing of Small Business Loans or those tracking F.D.A. approval of new drug and medical device applications have to wait during the government shutdown, individuals seeking to purchase firearm silencers, short-barreled rifles, or pre-1986 machine guns can breathe a sigh of relief — thanks to recent efforts by the gun lobby, firearms industry, and pro-gun House members.”
How 20 Years of Gun Industry Immunity Has Made Gun Crime Worse
“Most people have never heard of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) — but this little-known law has fueled corporate recklessness and allowed gun violence to fester for two decades.”
Related: How the Gun Industry Has Changed since PLCAA
Minnesota’s Gun Politics Mirror the Nation’s Divide
“Democrats want to establish standards for safe storage and enact penalties for gun owners who violate them. Republicans called the proposition unconstitutional, but didn’t offer any suggested changes.”
Medicaid Billed for More than Half of U.S. Hospital Costs From Gun Injuries
“More than half of all firearm injury costs were billed to Medicaid. Yet, Medicaid reimbursement often falls short of actual treatment costs, leaving safety-net hospitals, which serve vulnerable, lower-income patient populations, on the front lines of the gun violence epidemic to absorb substantial losses. The study authors warn that recent Medicaid funding cuts adopted by Congress could further strain these hospitals.”
Supreme Court will consider whether people who regularly smoke pot can legally own guns
“The Supreme Court said on Monday that it will consider whether people who regularly smoke marijuana can legally own guns, the latest firearm case to come before the court since its 2022 decision expanding gun rights.”
What to Know About the Supreme Court’s New Case on Drug Use and Gun Rights
“According to Alison Riddoch of the Duke Center for Firearms Law, Hemani offers the court a chance to clarify exactly who can be prohibited from owning guns under the framework the court introduced in its landmark Bruen decision.”
Physician and gun violence prevention expert Garen Wintemute inducted into National Academy of Medicine
“‘He brilliantly translates research findings to inform and evaluate gun violence policies and initiatives that are the basis of major policies at the state and federal levels,’ NAM said in its announcement.”
Garen J. Wintemute is mentoring a new generation of violence prevention researchers. (Photo via UC Davis Health)
The one thing Julianne Moore refuses to do on screen: “I don’t find it appealing
“It’s really important when you talk about gun safety and people blame entertainment to realize that the entire world consumes the same entertainment as the U.S., but the US has easy access to weapons….”
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
