City Level Gun Trafficking Networks in China

• In Event: Tracking the Trade: Gun Trafficking, Markets, and Regulatory Gaps

Abstract

Gun trafficking in China is relatively understudied. Therefore, the current study explores the gun trafficking flow and features of trafficking among Chinese cities. The data were derived from public available court documents of gun trafficking cases in China from 2018 to 2021. Using a social network approach, a visualization is created to display the city level gun trafficking network in China. Different patterns are identified, including gun types, purpose of trafficking, methods of trafficking, and the relationship between buyers and sellers. Policy implications are discussed.

Authors

• Jun Wu, Angelo State University

• Zhewei Mao, Zhejiang Police College

• Beidi Dong, George Mason University

• Lu Liu, Peking University

• Xiaochen Hu, Fayetteville State University

• Feng Zhu, Shaoxing Vocational & Technical College