Responses to the Plague of Gun Violence, November 11, 2019

Responses to the Plague of Gun Violence 

Remarks of Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, FL, Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, Delivered to the General Assembly of Bishops in Baltimore, MD, November 11, 2019

• The U.S. experiences about 40,000 gun-related deaths annually, similar to car accident fatalities.
• Two-thirds of these deaths are suicides; one-third are homicides.

Policy Measures Historically Supported by the Bishops

• Ban on assault weapons.
• Universal background checks.
• Federal gun trafficking legislation.
• Regulations on handgun sales.
• Improved mental health interventions.
• Safety measures and addressing violent imagery in society.

Evidence-Based Policy Recommendations

• Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs): Research suggests 1 life saved for every 10–20 ERPOs issued; associated with a 7.5% reduction in gun suicides.
• Handgun Licensing: Strong evidence of impact:
  • Connecticut’s law led to a 40% decrease in gun homicides and 15.4% decrease in gun suicides.
  • Missouri’s repeal resulted in a 25% increase in gun homicides and 16.1% increase in gun suicides.

Other Legislative and Social Interventions

• Closing loopholes in background checks (though less impactful than ERPOs or licensing).
• Assault weapon and large-capacity magazine bans reduce mass shooting fatalities.
• Safe storage education campaigns to prevent suicides and school shootings.
• Divestment from gun manufacturers in Church investment guidelines.
• Community-based interventions like reclaiming vacant lots to reduce crime.
• Catholic schools adopting threat assessment models.

Spiritual and Social Dimensions

• Emphasis on empathy and addressing isolation as root causes of violence.
• Mental health access is crucial, especially for suicide prevention.
• Catechism teachings on the sanctity of life and peace underpin these efforts.

Remarks-Bishop-Dewane-Responses-to-the-Plague-of-Gun-Violence-11-11-2019.pdf