Brady Statement on California Trace Report Release

The Report Will Help the Golden State Track and Trace Crime Guns.

Washington, D.C., June 30, 2023 – Today, California’s Department of Justice released its first-ever statewide firearm trace report. The annual report is a product of legislation sponsored by Brady, the country’s oldest gun violence prevention organization, and its Combating Crime Guns Initiative program. This legislation was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

The trace report released by the California DOJ reaffirms the unfortunate truth that a small number of gun dealers are the source of a large percentage of crime guns recovered by law enforcement. According to the report, roughly half of all crime guns in the dataset that were recovered and successfully traced to California dealers were traced back to only 82 gun dealers. These findings are consistent with Brady’s trace reports in other states.

Crime guns impact communities across the entire state, including outside of large, populated areas. According to the report, "more populous areas, like cities, were not necessarily more likely to recover more or fewer crime guns..." Understanding the unique challenges for communities of all sizes will be invaluable to all residents.

Kris Brown, president of Brady, said:

“Every crime gun has a story and trace reports help to compile that narrative and determine a gun’s origin. By understanding how guns move from the legal to illegal market – specifically, those used in crimes – we have a better chance of stopping the flow of these harmful weapons into our communities.

“This report is key to identifying dealers that irresponsibly sell firearms that result in deadly outcomes in communities all over California, but particularly in Black and Brown communities disproportionately impacted by gun violence. With this trace report, California has taken a meaningful step towards reducing access to illegally obtained firearms and crafting evidence-based, supply-side solutions this crisis requires.”

“Brady is proud to have helped build the overwhelming bipartisan coalition that made this report a reality, and we look forward to continuing these partnerships to further enhance California’s tracing capabilities.”