Policy Link
COVER
POLICY
Gun Violence & Hate Crime
Our partners at Everytown for Gun Safety,
in coalition with Mayors Against Illegal
Guns and the National Urban League,
described in a report seven strategies that
many cities around the country have taken
to reduce gun violence. These strategies
include:
1. Cities can collect their own data to
better understand the specific factors
that drive gun violence.
2. Cities can reduce supply for illegal
guns by cutting off the sources of
their local underground markets.
3. Improve public spaces to make it
harder for criminals to stash/use guns.
4. Adopt
measures
to
improve
investigations of gun crimes.
5. Break the cycle of violence and
retaliation by running programs to
focus on places and people most likely
to be affected.
6. Offer positive alternatives to atrisk individuals before they fall into
patterns of violence.
7. Prevent dangerous domestic abusers
from having access to guns.
You can read the full report here.
YEO F r o n t l i n e N e w s • S u m m e r 2016 • PG 5
MEMBERSHIP
New analysis of National Crime
Victimization Survey data by the Center
for American Progress reveals that
between 2010 and 2014, around 43,000
hate crimes were committed in the United
States that involved the use or threat of a
gun. While under federal law, individuals
convicted of any felony—including
felony-level hate crimes—are prohibited
from purchasing and possessing guns, this
does not cover all individuals who have
been convicted of hate crimes. The Center
for American Progress notes that many
states – at least 30 – have a misdemeanor
hate crime on the books and the majority
do not have laws preventing those
criminals from accessing guns. While a
policy has recently been introduced in
the Senate, legislators don’t have to wait
– and can close this loophole by passing
state laws that prohibit people convicted
ICY
w w w .YEON e t w o r k . o r g
of misdemeanor hate crimes from being
able to buy and possess guns.
POL
Despite the recent shootings and mass
killings of innocent people throughout
the country, Congress continues to
prevent the passing of stricter gun
violence prevention measures. After
last year’s Charleston church shooting,
which took the life of YEO member
Clementa Pinckney, Congress struck
down an amendment to allow the CDC
to do research on gun violence. After the
devastating school shooting in Newtown,
the Senate failed to pass an assault
weapons ban – which would have banned
the weapon used in many of our recent
mass shootings. Following the recent
Orlando shooting, which resulted in the
killing of 49 civilians, the US Senate
failed to pass gun reforms that would
have banned those on the terror watch list
from purchasing firearms and expanded
background check requirements on gun
purchases.
So far in 2016, there have been 156
mass shootings across the US, with nearly
6,517 people killed and 13,448 injured by
gun violence.
What can be done?
NETWORKING
This month the YEO Network joined
our nation in grieving for the victims of
the horrific Orlando shooting, as well
tragedies in Baton Rouge, St. Paul, and
Dallas. Violent crimes underscore the
need to prevent pro-gun extremists from
setting our political agenda, to fight
bigotry in all forms, and to strengthen our
gun safety measures. You can read our full
statement here.