Title: No Check. No Gun. Why Brady Background Checks Should Be Required For All Gun Sales

Publication Date: January 2009

What does it say? Since the Brady Bill was passed in 1994, Brady background checks have prevented 1,631,000 attempts by criminals and other dangerous people to purchase guns. Of these 1.6 million denied attempts to purchase, 51.6% were denied for felony charges, 14.5% had a history of domestic violence, and 4.2% were fugitives from justice. While Brady background checks likely contributed to lowering gun violence across the country, an estimated 40% of gun purchases still do not require background checks. Requiring background checks at all sales at gun shows is popular among the American public: a 2008 poll revealed that 87% of people favor requiring everyone who purchases a gun at a gun show to undergo a criminal background check with 83% of gun owners agreeing. As 95% of all background checks are completed within several minutes, this process does not inconvenience law-abiding citizens. Background checks should be required for all purchases.

How can I use it?

Use the information in this report for the concrete examples that it provides about the effectiveness of Brady background checks.

Citation Siebel, Brian J. No Check. No Gun. Why Brady Background Checks Should Be Required for All Gun Sales. Washington, DC: Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, April 2009