TRENTON, NJ — Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin have commended a recent report from Brady, which highlights that for the second consecutive year, none of New Jersey’s firearms dealers have been cited for selling the least number of crime guns, an achievement shared with only three other states. This distinction is seen as a significant indicator of the effectiveness of New Jersey’s gun violence and trafficking prevention measures.
Governor Murphy attributes this success to the state’s commitment to enacting commonsense gun safety legislation, positioning New Jersey as a national model for gun safety. Attorney General Platkin echoed this sentiment, pointing out that New Jersey’s low rate of firearm deaths and its minimal role as a source of firearms used in crimes are direct results of these robust policies.
The report, titled “The Suppliers of America’s Gun Violence Epidemic,” draws on data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to identify dealers involved in the sale of guns that are quickly recovered after being used in crimes. New Jersey’s absence of firearms dealers from the ATF’s Demand Letter 2 (DL2) program, which targets dealers selling a significant number of guns later linked to crimes, underscores the state’s strict regulatory approach to gun sales.
Furthermore, New Jersey’s firearms dealers are associated with the fourth-lowest median time-to-crime rate for guns sold, at 9.4 years, between 2017 and 2021. This metric further demonstrates the effectiveness of the state’s gun safety laws in reducing gun trafficking and violence, both within and beyond its borders.
The Brady report contrasts New Jersey’s stringent regulations and their outcomes with states that have looser gun sale laws and higher rates of interstate gun trafficking. According to the report, just 10 states are primarily responsible for driving interstate gun trafficking, underscoring the impact of state-level gun laws on national gun violence trends.
New Jersey’s comprehensive approach to reducing gun violence includes licensing requirements for firearm dealers and their employees, state inspections of dealerships, restrictions on the number of handgun transactions per individual within a 30-day period, and the establishment of the Statewide Affirmative Firearms Enforcement Office (SAFE). This office, a first of its kind, focuses on holding the firearms industry accountable for violations of state law.
As gun violence remains a pressing issue across the United States, New Jersey’s proactive measures and their resulting successes offer valuable insights into effective strategies for reducing gun-related crimes and enhancing public safety.