Citation

Edwards AA. Behav. Sci. Law 1993; 11(4): 407-421.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/bsl.2370110408

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article examines federal and state laws that prohibit the mentally ill from possessing firearms and assesses the jurisprudence that has developed as courts have applied the federal law. It argues that although there is little or no empirical data linking the mentally ill with firearms violence, legislative activity and popular political debate invariably include such restrictions on the mentally ill. Notwithstanding the proliferation of firearms and antecedent violence, this article suggests that legislators and policy-makers must separate this issue from the broader and more emotional issue of "gun control" in order to effectuate better public policy and simultaneously protect the constitutional rights of the mentally ill.

Language: en