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Abstract
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Community involvement in local firearms policy is advocated to be an important component of efforts to curtail violence. This report describes the first evaluation of one such effort, a gun buy-back program conducted in Seattle, WA, during the fall of 1992. The evaluation included (a) surveys of 500 participants and a description of the firearms exchanged; (b) monitoring police reports, trauma center admissions, and medical examiners' data to assess short-term effects on the frequency of firearm-related events; and (c) an assessment of community beliefs by random-digit dialing telephone interviews of 1,000 residents. Of the 1,172 firearms relinquished, 95 percent were handguns, 83 percent were operational, and 67 percent were owned for more than 5 years. Twenty-five percent were exchanged by women. The mean age of participants in the exchange program was 51 years. Females and persons in older age groups were more likely than males (83 percent versus 70 percent, P < 0.01) and minors (88 percent versus 55 percent, P < 0.05) to select safe disposal as motivation to participate. Comparing firearm-related events per month before and after the program, crimes and deaths increased, and injuries decreased, but the changes were not statistically significant. Telephone interviews revealed broad support for publicly funded gun buy-back programs even among households (61 percent) with firearms. Gun buy-back programs are a broadly supported means to decrease voluntarily the prevalence of handguns within a community, but their effect on decreasing violent crime and reducing firearm mortality is unknown.
VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this study by Callahan et al. was to evaluate the Seattle Gun Buy Back Program (SGBBP). Specifically, the authors were interested in measuring the effect of the program on firearm-related crime, injury, and death.
METHODOLOGY:
A quasi-experimental design was employed using three sets of data: 1) surveys of those who participated in the program, 2) police and medical record monitoring to assess short-term effects on the frequency of firearm related events, and 3) assessments of community beliefs by random-digit dialing telephone interviews of 1,000 residents. The SGBBP was conducted in Seattle, WA in the fall of 1992. Participant information was gathered by police officers who assisted in the program. The first 915 participants were given a survey requesting information about age and sex of the participant, the type of firearm exchanged, duration of ownership, monetary worth of the gun, number of guns owned, and reason(s) for gun ownership and participation in the buy-back program. Data describing firearm-related crimes, injuries, and deaths were obtained from records of the Harborview Medical Center's trauma center which treated more than 95% of firearm-related injuries in Kings County. Data on firearm related deaths were obtained from the Kings County Medical Examiners Division. The Seattle Police department supplied data on firearm crimes; the mean monthly number of firearm events for six months after the program were compared to the earlier twelve month time period. In order to obtain data on community awareness, expectations, and support of SGBBP, 1,000 telephone interviews were conducted using a sample obtained through random digit dialing. The interview sought the following information: age, sex, household income, household composition, the type of firearm in the household (if any), and respondents' expectations, beliefs, and support level for the SGBBP. Chi-square was performed to test the association between firearm ownership and age or income groups, and t-tests were used to examine the effect of the SGBBP on the mean number of firearm events per-month.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
A total of 1,772 firearms were collected. Twenty-four percent of the SGBBP participants were female, and the estimated mean age was 44.3 years. Five percent of participants were estimated as younger than age 21, and 12% were estimated as older than age 69. Ninety-three percent of the firearms exchanged were handguns, and 33 firearms (1.8%) returned were found to have been stolen. Fifty-five percent (n=503) of the first 915 participant surveys were returned and 24% (n=120) of the respondents were female. The self-reported mean age of respondents was 51; minors (persons under age 21) comprised 2.4% of the respondents. Ninety-five percent of survey participants reported exchanging handguns and 83% reported the firearm operational at the time of exchange. The original cost of 45% of the firearms was unknown. Sixty-seven percent of respondents reported owning the firearm at least five years prior to the SGBBP. Reasons for owning the weapon(s) were personal or family protection (30%), a gift (24%), and sport or recreation (16%). There were a total of ten responses citing "status" as a motivation for ownership. Sixty-six percent (n=331) of respondents claimed owning a firearm other than that exchanged. Fifteen percent (n=75) of respondents claimed to own two additional guns other than that exchanged and ten respondents claimed to own more than twenty additional guns. Exchange of the sole firearm owned by the household of the respondent was more common among women (66%) than men (37%). The majority of respondents (73%) said they participated in the SGBBP because it "was a safe way to get rid of a gun they no longer wanted" (p.475). Women were more likely than men to select this response (83% and 70%, respectively). Younger persons participated out of financial need more commonly than older persons, and 21% of respondents (n=105) returned a firearm out of fear that someone in the household might get hurt. Five-percent exchanged a gun because the weapon was "useless" and 3% said the funds obtained from the buy-back would be used to purchase another firearm, or would be donated to the Nation Rifle Association.
The authors reported that no statistically significant relationships were found between the SGBBP and firearm related robberies, assaults, or homicides. The average number of homicides increased 43%, and firearm-related homicides increased by 67%. The mean number of admissions into the trauma center decreased, however, this difference was not statistically significant. Also, the authors reported the mean number of related deaths increased (from 2.6 to 4.6 per month). However, this change was not statistically significant. The random dialing of 3,957 households resulted in 1,000 interviews. Firearms were reported to exist in 24% of these households. Seventeen percent of respondent said they owned a "long gun" (e.g., rifle) and 14% said they owned a handgun. Males reported a higher percentage of handgun and long-gun ownership and this finding was statistically significant. Twenty-one respondents of the phone interview said they contributed money to the buy-back and two persons reported having participated. Eighty-six percent of respondents said they were aware of the buy-back program and awareness did not vary significantly by age, sex, or income. The 18-24 year old age group believed the SGBBP would remove guns from the streets, however, this belief was not shared by older persons (older than 65). Women were more likely than men to believe the SGBBP would decrease handgun crimes and firearm injuries. Sixty percent of those interviewed supported the use of public funds for buy-back programs. Handgun owners were less likely than non-owners to think that SGBBP would take guns off the street, decrease firearm injuries, or reduce handgun-related crimes.
The 1,700 handguns collected by the SGBBP represented less than 1% of the total handguns estimated to exist in Seattle homes. The authors stated that the effect of the SGBBP was negligible in reducing overall rates of firearm-related crime, injury, or death. The authors also noted that if a larger number of firearms were collected, the impact on firearm morbidity and mortality could be substantially increased.
AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:
Buy-back programs aimed at minors should, according to the authors, be held at locations and times considered convenient by youth. Additionally, cost benefit and effectiveness evaluations should be undertaken in order to "determine what is a publicly and politically acceptable level of success" (p. 477).
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
Washington
Firearms Buyback
Firearms Control
Intervention Program
Violence Intervention
Violence Prevention
Prevention Program
Program Effectiveness
Program Evaluation
Crime Prevention
Crime Intervention
Adult Crime
Adult Offender
Adult Violence
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