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Presale Firearm Checks

NCJ Number
162787
Date Published
February 1997
Publication Series
Annotation
Provides a national estimate of the number of presale background checks conducted in connection with proposed firearm purchases, the number and percent of rejections, and the basis for the rejections.
Abstract

Provides a national estimate of the number of presale background checks conducted in connection with proposed firearm purchases, the number and percent of rejections, and the basis for the rejections. The data show that on average during the 28 months between the effective date of the Brady Act (February 28, 1994) and June 31, 1996, 6,600 attempted firearm purchases per month were blocked by the results of a presale background check. Among the 32 States originally designated as "original Brady States," the monthly average during this period was 3,100 rejections. The estimates, which provide a basis for reviewing the impact of the Brady Act on preventing firearm sales to persons prohibited under Federal of State law, are based on data developed by BJS under a grant to the Regional Justice Information Service (REJIS) and data provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Date Published: February 25, 1997