The Brady Campaign works to create a safer America for all of us by leading on policy and programs that aim to dramatically reduce the number of gun deaths and injuries.

The Voice of the American Public

We believe the passionate and sustained voice of the American public is essential to creating meaningful change in these areas.  Our goal is to bring that voice to bear in order to make this the better, safer nation we all want and deserve.

A Comprehensive Approach

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence believes in a comprehensive approach to reducing gun violence in our nation, including both:

1.  policy to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and dangerous people, and

2. public health and safety programs to inspire safer attitudes and behaviors around the 300 million guns in our homes and communities.

The Role of Policy

The Brady Campaign supports a policy platform that addresses the broad gun violence problem and is driven by the opportunity to save the most lives. Every death is a tragedy, whether in a mass shooting that horrifies our entire nation, or one of the 32 gun murders or 90 gun deaths in our communities and homes every day. We applaud the Obama Administration, members of Congress, and others at the federal and state level who are leading a policy conversation based on our common goals and values, avoiding the usual, divisive political debate. Policies such as “universal background checks” on all gun sales would keep guns out of the hands of felons, domestic abusers, the dangerously mentally ill and other illegal purchasers without impacting anyone else’s Second Amendment right to own guns. Background checks are supported by the overwhelming majority of Americans, including gun owners, and they make us all safer.

The Role of Public Health and Safety Programs

As Americans, we must address how we think about guns in our communities and in our homes. Public education campaigns are critical to inspiring law-abiding individuals to make safer choices around gun ownership and access. Brady’s “ASK” and “Suicide Proof Your Home” campaigns are evidence that we can have a significant, quantifiable impact on public attitudes and behaviors by educating the public about the relative risks and benefits of gun ownership in an honest and credible way. Other public health and safety issues, such as drinking and driving, and smoking, also show how public health and safety campaigns and insights have had a significant impact on positively changing social norms around dangerous and risky behavior. One key opportunity is in the area of mental health, educating clinicians and parents or spouses of individuals with specific mental illnesses about the dangers associated with access to guns in the home.