An Inside Look at Gun Shows

The Violence Prevention Research Program, out of the University of California, Davis, recently released a study of 78 gun shows in 19 states over a 3-year period. The study was partly prompted by a concern over the high rates of guns recovered in criminal cases that were bought through “private” sales. Private gun sales are a controversial issue because private gun sales do not need to comply with the same legalities that licensed gun dealers are required to follow (background checks, etc.).

The study found that gun shows facilitate private gun sales; however, it also found that—overall—gun shows represent a small percentage of gun sales in the US and that the majority of sales at these shows occur through licensed gun dealers.

In addition, the study found that, for the most part, all guns sales at these shows are above the table and legal. But the study also finds that there is some disturbing behavior, culture, and attitudes displayed at gun shows in the form of Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazi, anti-government, and neo-confederacy paraphernalia; sexist and misogynist messages and items; as well as a general endorsement of violence as a way to solve problems.

You can download an overall summary of the study here: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/vprp/pdf/IGS/IGSexecsummweb.pdf

Or download the entire report, with hundreds of photos, by going to the Violence Prevention Research Program website: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/vprp/

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