Extreme Risk Laws in Mississippi

Background

The issue at stake: guns & mental health:

The state of gun violence in the U.S. — The U.S. has the highest levels of household firearm ownership and the weakest gun control laws, leading to the highest homicide rates (1). States with greater gun ownership and more permissive statewide gun laws are conducive of higher levels of gun homicides, suicides, and mass shootings (2). Between 2009-2020, 297 mass shootings in the U.S. have caused over 1,300 victims to lose their lives by fatal gunshot wounds. In 56% of mass shootings, the perpetrator exhibited dangerous warning signs before the shooting, such as violating a protection order (3).

Figure 1. Male firearm suicide rates by race and age. (2019). https://preventfirearmsuicide.efsgv.org/about-firearm-suicide/statistics/

Mississippi

Weak gun laws in Mississippi

Weak gun laws in Mississippi — According to the CDC, Mississippi has the highest firearm mortality rate at 28.6 per 100,000 people (4). Simultaneously, the state has some of the weakest gun laws in the country: in 2021, the state repealed the requirement to get a permit before carrying a concealed handgun in public (5, 6). Mississippi is among the top 10 states with highest levels of household firearm ownership (7).

Extreme Risk Laws

Extreme Risk laws explained...

Extreme Risk laws, also known as "Red Flag" laws, allow community members to petition a court for a temporary Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) to prevent access to guns by individuals exhibiting concerning behavior.

These orders can immediately suspend firearm access, typically for about seven days, with the potential to last up to a few weeks. If a court finds an individual at significant risk of harming themselves or others, the ERPO can be extended for about 52 weeks.

These laws aim to fill the gap in federal law, which only bars gun possession for certain "prohibited persons," by legally limiting possession for vulnerable individuals. Since Connecticut first adopted Extreme Risk laws in 1999, 19 states and Washington, DC have followed suit, with many doing so after the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.

These laws empower family members, friends, school faculty, and law enforcement to proactively keep communities safer by reporting concerning behavior. Adopting Extreme Risk laws in Mississippi, with a wide range of valid ERPO petitioners, can reduce gun violence through preventative measures.