Featured Story
Community violence intervention programs, which prioritize alternatives to public safety that don’t involve police, were around for decades before being thrust into the spotlight in 2020. With the unprecedented level of attention following the murder of George Floyd, and the racial justice protests his death ignited, came investments from all levels of government to support hospital-based intervention initiatives, street outreach teams, and other on-the-ground methods to reduce violence.
At the time, gun violence nationwide was surging and talk of police reform was gaining ground; both have since waned. In the latest edition of The Trajectory, Chip Brownlee sat down with Amber Goodwin, founder of Community Justice, a Black-led nonprofit that supports community violence prevention. Goodwin shared her thoughts on the current state of CVI and the work left to be done.
From Our Team
Despite its diminished stature following the loss of a civil corruption case, the NRA has no equal in the gun rights movement. Still, there are several groups on the rise. Read more →
What to Know Today
In a long-delayed report, the NYPD said it had confiscated 6,242 firearms between July 2020 and December 2021. About two-thirds of them had no connection to a crime, and more than 70 percent were handguns. A handful of manufacturers, including Smith & Wesson and Taurus, made up an outsized share of guns recovered. [Gothamist]
As U.S. cities prepare to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, legal experts and gun safety advocates are highlighting the challenges of keeping attendees safe outside of tightly controlled stadiums. Of particular concern are “fan fests” — large, typically outdoor venues with huge monitors that offer people a place to watch the games for free. [The Athletic]
In 2023, the Baltimore Police Department recovered at least 59 Glock switches — tiny devices that allow pistols to fire like machine guns — which is a fivefold increase from the previous year. Maryland lawmakers have put forward a bill to ban the production and possession of the devices, which have been used during carjackings, burglaries, and even a police shootout. [The Baltimore Banner]
On Tuesday, the Rhode Island Senate approved a bill that would require guns to be locked or stored in locked containers when they’re not in use. It would also hold owners liable even if the gun is unloaded, or if it is used by someone who is prohibited from owning guns. [Associated Press]
The NYPD received a surge in applications for concealed carry permits and licenses to keep weapons at home after the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision in 2022 struck down key provisions of New York City’s firearms law. Despite this, and a class action lawsuit alleging that the NYPD takes too long to review firearm applications, the department refuses to disclose how many licenses it has approved since 2019. [Gothamist]
A federal appeals court ruled this week that barring defendants from possessing a firearm while they are out on bail is constitutional. Lawyers for the appellants and the three-judge panel based their arguments on the so-called history and tradition test established by the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen decision. [Reuters]
Data Point
13,369 — the number of applications the NYPD received in 2023 from New Yorkers seeking to carry a gun in public or keep one at home, which is 80 percent more than the year before. [Gothamist]
