NCJ Number
153743
Date Published
1992
Length
146 pages
Annotation
This report presents current information about sources of various types of data on the availability of firearms in Illinois, the quality of that data, and the availability of the data to users.
Abstract
The report focuses on data on firearm owners and dealers, firearms, and firearms and crime. For each topic, the report details the data sources, the steps involved in obtaining the data, and how to use and interpret the data. The text notes that the main source of data on how many people own firearms is data kept by the Firearm Owner's Identification section of the Illinois State Police's Division of Forensic Services and Identification. The major source of data on firearms dealers is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The only way to measure the number of firearms bought by Illinois residents is to examine the records of Illinois firearms dealers. Data from reports made by law enforcement agencies and surveys of crime victims provide information on crimes committed with firearms. Forms and appended tables, procedures, and addresses of contacts