| This paper will provide a general overview of illicit gun markets based upon results from a study of gun markets in 6 U.S. cities. Drawing upon both analysis of data from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and interviews with law enforcement practitioners and licensed gun dealers, the study seeks to illuminate patterns in illicit gun markets through site-specific and cross-site examination of various factors. including characteristics of gun offenders and suppliers, methods of gun distribution, temporal and geographical aspects of gun distribution, types of guns commonly available and/or preferred in the markets, and the role of legal and criminal justice factors in shaping the markets. The study will explore commomalities and differences in illicit gun markets across a variety of state and local conditions and assess the implications of these findings for law enforcement efforts to track and disrupt illegal gun trafficking. |
Updated 05/20/2006