Prohibited Possessors and the Law: How Inmates in Los Angeles Jails Understand Firearm and Ammunition Regulations

RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences

Nicole Sherman¹  Melissa Barragan²  Kelsie Y. Chesnut²  Keramet Reiter²  Jason Gravel²  George Tita²  Natalie A. Pifer³ 

[1] California State University, Chico;University of California, Irvine;University of Rhode Island;

关键词: firearms policy;    guns;    ammunition;    deterrence;    legal knowledge;   

DOI  :  10.7758/RSF.2017.3.5.07

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Using data from 140 interviews with individuals detained in the Los Angeles County Jail system, this article examines what gun offenders know about gun and ammunition regulation in California. Though most respondents had a consistent, albeit general, understanding of the regulations limiting gun acquisition and possession, analysis suggests that their understanding of ammunition restrictions was more limited. Our sample’s awareness of firearms law is especially important to consider given that they are the very population targeted by firearms regulations and prohibitions at the local, state, and federal level. By examining what detained offenders know about firearms laws, we can better theorize about individual gaps in legal knowledge and the realistic expectations for how understanding of the law can affect behavior.

【 授权许可】

Unknown