Protection from Gun Violence

Gun violence is an all-too-familiar problem in the United States. Every day, an average of 32 Americans are murdered with guns; 140 are treated for gun assaults in emergency rooms; and 45 are shot or killed in accidents involving guns. It takes a massive toll on American children, who are 11 times more likely to die by guns than children in other high-income countries. Gun violence is also a major drain on U.S. taxpayers, costing an estimated $100 billion annually in medical treatment, judicial proceedings, security precautions, and reductions in quality of life.

After a divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit struck down the concealed-carry regimes of several California counties, our lawyers, on behalf of the Brady Center, moved to intervene in order to persuade the court to rehear the case en banc, which it has granted. We also secured a significant victory in the Louisiana Supreme Court, which upheld the constitutionality of two Louisiana laws restricting juvenile possession and carrying of guns.

In addition, our work has helped keep guns out of the hands of domestic violence offenders in Massachusetts. We have defended similar laws across the country, helping to frustrate the gun lobby's efforts to deprive law enforcement of the tools that it needs to keep guns off the streets.