Child Access Prevention Laws and Firearm Storage Among Households with Children

• In Event: Exploring the Role of Contextual, Legal, and Political Factors Influencing Gun Violence

Abstract

In 2020, firearm injuries surpassed motor vehicle crashes and became the leading cause of death among adolescents and children in the US. Since the 1990s, many states have aimed to reduce child firearm access by regulating firearm storage practices through child access prevention (CAP) laws. Though studies have shown that stringent CAP laws are associated with reduced pediatric firearm injuries and deaths, mechanisms remain unclear. This study addresses this gap by examining the effects of CAP-negligent storage (CAP-NS) laws and the state firearm legislation on firearm storage using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, 2021-2024. Logistic regression models were used to examine how state CAP-NS laws and the strength of state firearm legislation are associated with secure firearm storage practices among families with underage children. Preliminary descriptive results with 2021 to 2023 BRFSS data show that households with children in states with CAP-NS laws had lower rates of firearm ownership (18.77% vs. 32.64%), loaded firearm(s) among firearm households (26.50% vs. 32.70%), and unlocked firearm(s) among households loaded firearm(s) (33.23% vs. 34.49%) than households with children in states without CAP-NS laws.

Author

• Yi-Fang Lu, University of Iowa