Shielding Gun Manufacturers as State-Corporate Crime

• In Event: Roundtable: White Collar and Corporate Crime

Abstract

In 2005, U.S. lawmakers passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) after the gun industry faced multiple lawsuits claiming manufacturers were creating a “public nuisance.” The PLCAA did not provide complete immunity from lawsuits, but it did provide unique protections from plaintiffs arguing they were harmed by the industry. This project seeks to analyze the passage of PLCAA as a case of state-corporate crime (Kramer and Michalowski, 2006).

Author

• Gary Reed, Lewis-Clark State College