The ATF, charged with policing the gun industry, lets dealers get away with falsifying records and selling firearms without background checks.
The programs, policies, and people driving positive change in America’s gun violence problem.
American lives, shaped by guns.
The National Rifle Association is one of the most powerful special interest groups in America. We’re investigating how it spends its money.
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Ask The Trace
Fact-checking the 'good guys with guns' maxim.
Data
Five ways the mass shooting at a Texas elementary school brings into focus the contours of an American crisis.
Incidents involving armed motorists are far deadlier than they were five years ago, our analysis reveals.
CDC data shows that more than 45,000 Americans died by gunfire for the first time, driven by a spike in homicides.
The Industry
"Time-to-crime" figures published by the ATF show that guns sold in 2020 were more likely to wind up at crime scenes within a year than in any previous period.
The development comes after an investigation by The Trace and NBC Bay Area found police are violating state law by not logging guns into the database so they can be traced.
ATF
For more than a decade, agencies have flouted a state law requiring them to use a tool that policing experts say can help reduce gun violence.
A reader asks about the differences between firearm homicide and suicide rates in the United States and the rest of the world.
Aftershocks
Se aprueban menos de cuatro de cada 10 solicitudes del programa de compensación a víctimas del Illinois, según el análisis.
We investigated long-term, systemic shortcomings in the Illinois program. Here are some tips to help you do similar reporting in other parts of the country.
A review of thousands of records showed the state program struggles to reach survivors in need, and paid out claims in less than half of all cases.
Less than 40 percent of applicants are compensated, but many more never apply in the first place.
Off Target
Fulfilling even basic FOIA requests can take months or years. Sometimes the agency ignores them altogether.
The Trace and USA TODAY’s database of nearly 2,000 ATF inspection reports is a useful tool for reporters, policymakers, and members of the public.
Use our database to search for law-breaking firearm businesses near you.
