Study Shows “Red-Flag” Laws Reduce Gun Suicides
6/6/18
As the Massachusetts Senate is poised to take up a bill to allow removal of firearms from people considered a danger to themselves and others, new research shows such laws reduce suicides.
The so-called “Red Flag” Bill would allow a relative, or someone with close ties to a legal gun owner, to petition the court for a 12-month extreme risk protection, if the person is showing signs of dangerous or unstable behavior.
The study, conducted by Aaron Kivisto, a Psychology Professor at the University of Indianapolis, found in the 10 years following enactment of Indiana's risk-based firearm seizure law, firearm suicides decreased seven-and-a-half percent.
Critics say red-flag laws can impinge on second amendment rights. But according to the Brady Campaign, a gun-control organization, research shows nearly half of mass shooters exhibit warning signs or concerning behavior prior to their crimes.