Washington, D.C. — While Delaware’s gun laws are stronger than those in many other states, a new analysis released today from CAP and the Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence outlines how the state would benefit from implementing a permit-to-purchase (PTP) licensing system by passing S.B. 3. In original analyses of data from the FBI and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the authors found that passing a PTP law would help:
- Reduce gun homicides: From 2015 to 2019, Delaware had a rate of gun homicides among young people that was 61 percent higher than the national average.
- Address internal gun trafficking: Whereas 69 percent of crime guns recovered by Delaware police agencies originated in the state, only 49 percent of crime guns in states with PTP laws were traced to in-state sources.
- Decrease gun theft: The value of stolen firearms in Delaware rose to roughly $3.6 million, or nearly 8,000 guns, from 2010 to 2019.
“It is clear why 78 percent of Delaware voters, including 61 percent of gun owners, support this measure,” said Eugenio Weigend Vargas, director for Gun Violence Prevention at CAP and co-author of the issue brief. “PTP and similar commonsense laws have proven to be effective at reducing gun violence in other states.”
“S.B. 3 will help stem the flow of guns into Wilmington,” added Traci Manza Murphy, executive director of the Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence and co-author of the issue brief. “Evidence-based policies like PTP would help turn Delaware into one of the safest states in the country.”
Click here to read the issue brief: “Delaware Will Benefit From a Permit-to-Purchase Law”
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Tricia Woodcome at [email protected].