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Report: Source and Use of Firearms Involved in Crimes: Survey of Prison Inmates, 2016

 

Percent of all state and federal prisoners who had possessed or used a firearm during their offense, 2016
  • About 21% of state and federal prisoners said they possessed a gun during their offense.
  • Among prisoners who possessed a gun during their offense, 90% did not obtain it from a retail source and 99% did not obtain it from a gun show.
  • Handguns were the most common type of firearm used by state and federal prisoners, as 11% used one during their offense.
  • Black state prisoners were more likely to have possessed a gun during their offense (29%) than white (12%) or Hispanic (21%) prisoners.

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Date Published: June 15, 2019