120 Initiative Presents Pathway to Fewer Gun Deaths
University Research Consortium Co-led by Pines Releases Recommendations on Curbing Gun Violence
today.umd.edu
Expanding community engagement and violence interruption programs, promoting gun safety devices and training, and introducing anti-violence education and messaging campaigns hold the most promise for reducing gun violence, according to a new set of recommendations from the 120 Initiative on Gun Violence, a group of experts from Washington, D.C.-area universities co-led by the University of Maryland.
The consortium presented the policy paper today at its inaugural regional conference on gun violence reduction. Held at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., it brought together some 200 scholars, activists and policymakers to talk about the new findings that provide tangible steps to take, individually and collectively, to drive down the number of gun deaths and injuries in the U.S.
“Our charge is to find ways to reduce gun violence not just through legislation and regulation, but by changing human behavior and the conditions that lead to lost lives,” UMD President Darryll J. Pines said in an opening address. He co-founded the initiative with George Mason University President Gregory Washington.
White Paper is here:
Hold on to your wallets...this blue ribbon panel of firearm experts is recommending additional local taxes and regulation.
"Taxation and regulation are key functions of the government, and they could be better leveraged to reduce gun violence. Firearm and ammunition taxes can be imposed to accurately reflect the costs of their use on society – a “social harms” tax, generating funds for violence rehabilitation and prevention. This “social harms” tax should be levied on gun sales and ownership which includes sales/special taxes, import duties and export bans. Taxation of the industry can result in higher revenue for local governments if there is coordinated action among counties and states. Otherwise, this can lead to mere relocation of the industry which will maintain status quo. It is agreed that more analysis by academia and NGOs should be directed at communicating the expanding the range of taxation and regulatory steps available to local governments"
Last edited:
