Crime Prevention Research Center Archives

Pennsylvania Democrat Proposes Waiting Periods for Acquiring Guns

March 17, 2023March 16, 2023 Bradley Vasoli

A Pennsylvania state senator this week announced she is reintroducing legislation to force gun buyers to undergo three-day waiting periods before they take possession of their firearms.

Senator Amanda Cappelletti (D-Norristown) wrote in a memorandum describing her bill that she believes the measure could reduce both violent crime and suicides. She stated that more than 60 percent of gun deaths are intentionally self-inflicted and said research has shown that many suicide survivors thought about taking the actions they did for less than a 24-hour period.

One Percent of U.S. Counties Account for 42 Percent of Nationwide Murders, Study Shows

January 23, 2023January 22, 2023 Just the News

One percent of U.S. counties account for about 42% of U.S. murders, while 52% of counties have no murders, according to a recent study.

The 1% is 32 counties, which have 21% of the U.S. population, according to a study of 2020 homicides published Monday by the Crime Prevention Research Center.

State Senator to Reintroduce Pennsylvania Constitutional-Carry Bill

January 4, 2023January 3, 2023 Bradley Vasoli

Pennsylvania state Senator Cris Dush (R-Bellefonte) is asking colleagues to cosponsor legislation to let law-abiding state residents carry concealed firearms without a permit, something he tried but failed to get enacted last session.

The senator’s original bill passed the General Assembly in autumn of 2021 but Governor Tom Wolf (D) vetoed it. Its chances of becoming law have diminished even further insofar as Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro recently was elected in November to succeed Wolf and Democrats won a majority of seats in the state House of Representatives.

Death-Penalty Opponents Want Abolition Bills Passed Before Ohio Session Ends

November 15, 2022November 14, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

Death-penalty abolitionists in Ohio this week are organizing a campaign to persuade lawmakers to end capital punishment in their State.

The nonprofit No Death Penalty Ohio is hosting letter-writing parties in various cities throughout the week in support of a state House bill and an identical state Senate bill to ban executions. While Republicans often support capital punishment and control both legislative chambers, the bills have some GOP support. State Senator Stephen Huffman (R-Dayton) is cosponsoring the Senate measure alongside Senator Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) while Representative Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland) is spearheading the House legislation with Representative Adam Miller (D-Columbus).

Pennsylvania House Democrat Introduces Bill to Create Gun Purchase Permits

August 8, 2022August 7, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

Pennsylvania state Representative Emily Kinkead (D-Pittsburgh) announced on Friday that she will sponsor a bill to require residents to obtain permits to buy guns.

Her legislation is a companion to a Senate measure authored by Art Haywood (D-Philadelphia). The senator began touting his legislation the day after the May school shooting in Uvalde, TX in which an 18-year-old killed 19 children and two teachers.

Mastriano Proposes Allowing Permitted Teachers to Be Armed at Pennsylvania Schools

June 15, 2022June 14, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

State Senator Doug Mastriano (R-Gettysburg) asked colleagues Tuesday to co-sponsor a bill he plans to introduce to let teachers carry guns in Pennsylvania schools.

Under the proposal, teachers who hold concealed carry permits may be armed on school property provided they complete “a rigorous firearms course from a certified instructor.” Similar measures are now in effect in 28 states.

Haskell Bill Would Limit Connecticut Gun Purchases to One Per Month

May 30, 2022May 29, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

Connecticut state Sen. Will Haskell (D-Bethel) last weekend took to the airwaves in support of his proposal to limit gun sales in the Constitution State to one per month.

“We know that handguns sold alongside other handguns in a bulk sale, they’re 64 percent more likely to be used in a criminal manner,” he told WCBS News Radio 880. “Most of the hunters in my district tell me that they don’t really purchase more than one gun per month, typically. I hope that they’ll come to the table on a very commonsense restriction that will save lives.”

Pennsylvania Senate Democrat Proposes Eligibility License for Guns

May 26, 2022May 25, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

A day after the school shooting in Uvalde, TX, Pennsylvania Democrats are calling for more stringent gun control in the state, with state Sen. Art Haywood (D-Abington) proposing eligibility licenses for firearm purchases.

Pennsylvania already administers licenses to carry firearms in Pennsylvania, for which any person who is at least 21 years old and has a clean record may apply.

VIDEO: Washington Post Spikes Interview with Dayton Resident Who Opposes Gun Control

August 7, 2019January 23, 2020 Beth Lear

Bryan St. John lives near and frequents the Oregon District, a quaint neighborhood in Dayton where the shooting took place. A journalist from The Washington Post asked St. John for his opinion on the various sides of the gun debate.

“Well, when people say you should ban guns, to me it goes back to 1991 and the Killeen Luby shooting there where the lady was under the table and had to watch her parents get shot and followed the law and left her gun in the car,” St. John replied to one question.