NCJ Number
180752
Date Published
July 2000
Length
104 pages
Annotation
This monograph addresses the issue of illegal firearms trafficking.
Abstract
In fiscal year 1993 the Bureau of Justice Assistance created the Firearms Trafficking Program. Initiatives funded under the program included the Firearms Licensee Compliance Program, the Firearms Investigative Task Force Program and the Innovative Firearms Program. Demonstration sites under each of these three initiatives were visited to identify goals, lessons learned, and promising practices and approaches of each project. The monograph details findings in each of those areas. A common element among all projects was a collaborative arrangement between State or local law enforcement agencies and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) to address each program’s goals and objectives. The ATF--the Federal law enforcement agency with authority to enforce the Nation’s Federal firearms laws--it operates the National Tracing Center, which responds to crime gun trace requests. The programs have contributed significantly to reducing firearms-related violence, significantly reduced the number of dealers likely to supply firearms to criminals, created unique information resources, and fostered collaborative relationships among agencies that do not typically cooperate. References, resources, glossary, appendixes