The criminal purchase of firearm ammunition

• Published in: Injury prevention Vol. 12; no. 5; pp. 308 - 311
• Main Authors: Tita, G E, Braga, A A, Ridgeway, G, Pierce, G L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.10.2006; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; ammunition; ATF; Background checks; Bureau of Alcohol; Commerce - statistics & numerical data; Crime - prevention & control; Crime - statistics & numerical data; Department of Justice; DOJ; Federal Firearms Licensee; Female; FFL; Firearm laws & regulations; Firearms; Firearms - legislation & jurisprudence; Firearms - statistics & numerical data; gun policy; Humans; LAPD; Los Angeles; Los Angeles Police Department; Male; Middle Aged; Original; prohibited possessors; Purchasing; Suicide - statistics & numerical data; Tobacco and Explosives; Violence; Violence - statistics & numerical data; Los Angeles; United States > US; California; USA, California, Los Angeles
• ISSN: 1353-8047; 1475-5785
• DOI: 10.1136/ip.2006.013052

Objective: Laws that prohibit certain individuals from owning firearms also pertain to ammunition. Whereas retail sales of firearms to criminals are regularly disrupted by instant background checks, sales of ammunition are essentially unchecked and the rate at which criminals acquire ammunition is unknown. This research describes the ammunition market and estimates the rate at which criminals are acquiring ammunition. Design: Criminal background checks conducted on individuals purchasing ammunition in the City of Los Angeles in April and May 2004. Setting: Los Angeles, CA, USA. Subjects: Ammunition purchasers. Main outcome measures: Criminal activity that prohibits one from owning, purchasing, or possessing ammunition. Results: 2.6% (95% CI 1.9% to 3.2%) of ammunition purchasers had a prior felony conviction or another condition that prohibited them from possessing ammunition. During the study period prohibited possessors purchased 10 050 rounds of ammunition in Los Angeles. Conclusions: These estimates suggest that monitoring ammunition transactions may help reduce the supply of ammunition to criminals and the frequency of injuries from felonious gun assaults. Such a record can also provide information for generating leads on illegal firearm possession.