Table 1.
Tracing within 3 years of purchase, following recovery by law enforcement from a person other than the gun’s purchaser, for handguns purchased legally in California in 1996
| Explanatory variable | Number (%) of guns | ORa | 95% CIb | p value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traced N = 722 | Not traced N = 179,599 | ||||||
| Related to purchase | |||||||
| Timing | |||||||
| Same-day multiple | 111 (0.5) | 20,492 (99.5) | 1.33 | 1.08–1.63 | <0.0001 | ||
| 30-day multiple | 62 (0.3) | 24,464 (99.8) | 0.62 | 0.48–0.81 | <0.0001 | ||
| Single purchase | 549 (0.4) | 134,643 (99.6) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
| Related to handgun | |||||||
| Type | |||||||
| Derringer and single shot | 47 (0.4) | 11,114 (99.6) | 1.36 | 0.98–1.88 | 0.3900 | ||
| Semi-automatic pistol | 511 (0.4) | 115,828 (99.6) | 1.42 | 1.19–1.69 | 0.0381 | ||
| Revolver | 164 (0.3) | 52,648 (99.7) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
| Caliber | |||||||
| Small (.22, .25, .32) | 105 (0.3) | 32,741 (99.7) | 1.11 | 0.87–1.40 | 0.0587 | ||
| Medium (.38, .380, 9) | 421 (0.5) | 79,229 (99.5) | 1.83 | 1.55–2.17 | <0.0001 | ||
| Large (.357, .40, .44, .45, .50, 10) | 196 (0.3) | 67,593 (99.7) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
| Barrel length | |||||||
| Short (≤3 in.) | 278 (0.6) | 49,515 (99.4) | 1.65 | 1.42–1.92 | <0.0001 | ||
| Long (>3 in.) | 439 (0.3) | 129,000 (99.7) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
| Price | |||||||
| ≤$150 | 159 (1.4) | 11,115 (98.6) | 4.28 | 3.59–5.11 | <0.0001 | ||
| >$150 | 563 (0.3) | 168,484 (99.7) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
| Related to retailer | |||||||
| License type | |||||||
| Importer or manufacturer | 46 (0.7) | 6,227 (99.3) | 2.01 | 1.49–2.71 | 0.0152 | ||
| Pawnbroker | 80 (0.7) | 11,707 (99.3) | 1.86 | 1.47–2.35 | 0.0468 | ||
| Dealer | 595 (0.4) | 161,638 (99.6) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
| Within 25 mi of YCGIc city | |||||||
| Yes | 500 (0.5) | 93,725 (99.5) | 2.06 | 1.76–2.42 | <0.0001 | ||
| No | 222 (0.3) | 85,874 (99.7) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
| Number of gun sales in 1996 | |||||||
| ≥1,000 | 302 (0.5) | 59,241 (99.5) | 1.86 | 1.54–2.26 | <0.0001 | ||
| 250–999 | 263 (0.4) | 63,000 (99.6) | 1.53 | 1.25–1.86 | 0.1597 | ||
| 1–249 | 157 (0.3) | 57,358 (99.7) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
| Denials, % of sales + denials | |||||||
| ≥2% | 167 (1.1) | 15,556 (98.9) | 4.09 | 3.39–4.94 | <0.0001 | ||
| 1 to <2% | 244 (0.5) | 45,625 (99.5) | 2.04 | 1.72–2.41 | 0.9295 | ||
| <1% | 311 (0.3) | 118,418 (99.7) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
| Related to purchaser | |||||||
| Gender | |||||||
| Female | 89 (0.8) | 11,698 (99.2) | 2.02 | 1.62–2.52 | <0.0001 | ||
| Male | 633 (0.4) | 167,844 (99.6) | 1.00 | (Referent) | |||
| Age, years | |||||||
| 21–24 | 186 (1.0) | 18,136 (99.0) | 4.86 | 3.97–5.95 | <0.0001 | ||
| 25–29 | 140 (0.6) | 23,429 (99.4) | 2.83 | 2.28–3.52 | 0.0043 | ||
| 30–39 | 202 (0.4) | 46,035 (99.6) | 2.08 | 1.71–2.53 | 0.0889 | ||
| 40+ | 194 (0.2) | 91,969 (99.8) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
| Safety course exemption | |||||||
| Law enforcement | 36 (0.2) | 17,632 (99.8) | 0.49 | 0.35–0.69 | <0.0001 | ||
| Professional | 55 (0.5) | 10,656 (99.5) | 1.24 | 0.94–1.63 | 0.0004 | ||
| None | 631 (0.4) | 151,311 (99.6) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
| Number and uniformity of all handguns purchased in 1996 | |||||||
| >1 handgun: all alike | 42 (0.7) | 6,152 (99.3) | 1.58 | 1.15–2.18 | 0.0002 | ||
| >1 handgun: some alike | 41 (0.4) | 11,652 (99.7) | 0.82 | 0.60–1.13 | 0.1072 | ||
| >1 handgun: none alike | 196 (0.3) | 59,014 (99.7) | 0.77 | 0.65–0.91 | 0.0008 | ||
| Purchased only 1 handgun | 443 (0.4) | 102,779 (99.6) | 1.00 | (Referent) | – | ||
Missing data—handgun type: 9 not traced; caliber: 36 not traced; barrel length: 5 traced, 1,084 not traced; retailer license type: 1 traced, 27 not traced; gender: 57 not traced; age: 30 not traced; number and uniformity of guns purchased: 2 not traced
aOdds ratio
bConfidence interval
cYouth Crime Gun Initiative