Personalized Guns and State Policy

By Dr. Shannon Frattoroli, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research

Gun violence in the U.S. is the subject of an increasing number of legislative proposals at the local, state and federal levels. Policy makers, influenced by constituent demands, are looking for ways to reduce the high number of gun deaths that have become all too familiar in this country. In 1996, more than 34,000 people died from gunshot wounds.

One innovative approach states are exploring to prevent gun deaths and injuries is the “personalized” gun. A personalized gun works only when operated by its authorized user. A gun may be personalized through technologies such as magnetic rings or fingerprint scanners. Personalization technology for guns has been advocated for years by researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and recent events have increased legislators’ interest in the idea. Personalized handgun legislation is currently under consideration in several states, including New Jersey where passage is likely.

Personalized guns offer automatic protection against gun misuse by unauthorized users. A suicidal or violent teenager who finds his or her parents’ personalized gun will soon discover that the gun is useless. A child who stumbles upon his father’s gun will be unable to injure himself or a playmate if the gun is personalized. Personalized guns also have the potential to eliminate one source of guns for criminals and youth: stolen guns. Because personalized guns that are stolen are inoperable by thieves, they are useless to people who rely on the underground market to acquire guns.

For more information on personalized guns please visit the website for The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research at www.jhsph.edu/gunpolicy.