California’s “red flag” law hasn’t lived up to its promise, George Skelton writes, because people are reluctant to report dangerous gun owners and police often don’t want to confiscate guns.
But we’re in a gun violence epidemic, caused in large part by the COVID-19 pandemic. Gun purchases have increased and so has gun violence. And that’s no coincidence.
“Several studies have linked short-term increases in gun purchasing to subsequent increases in violence,” says Dr. Garen Wintemute, director of the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program.
“What’s concerning now is that we’ve purchased guns at far above normal levels for more than a year and we still are. I think we face a very rough time ahead…. Preliminary data suggests the increase in violence has continued in the first months of 2021.”
A combination of ignorance and reluctance to call police have reduced the effectiveness of California s "Red Flag" gun law, columnist George Skelton says.
A new study shows that two-thirds of Californians don t know about a law designed to prevent a person at risk of hurting themselves or others from possessing or purchasing firearms or ammunition. More than 80% of survey participants were supportive once they read about this law.
California's "red flag" law hasn't lived up to its promise, George Skelton writes, because people are reluctant to report dangerous gun owners and police often don't want to confiscate guns.