Table 5.
Descriptive statistics and results of bivariate regressions (continuous variables)
| Variable | Said “Yes” N = 30 | Said “No” N = 104 | OR | 95% CI | P | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median | IQR | Median | IQR | |||||
| Retailer characteristics | ||||||||
| Gun-years of exposure (× 1,000) | 1.8 | 1.0–2.8 | 2.8 | 1.5–8.7 | 0.90 | 0.81 | 1.00 | 0.063 |
| Traced guns per 1,000 gun-years | 0.9 | 0.0–2.6 | 1.3 | 0.6–3.1 | 0.94 | 0.79 | 1.13 | 0.51 |
| Gun-years from sales of inexpensive handguns (%)a | 1.5 | 0.5–8.2 | 1.1 | 0.3–5.0 | 1.01 | 0.97 | 1.06 | 0.56 |
| Gun-years from sales at gun shows (%) | 0.2 | 0.0–0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0–0.5 | 0.99 | 0.95 | 1.03 | 0.63 |
| Gun-years from sales of multiple guns (%)b | 6.4 | 4.0–9.9 | 6.5 | 4.1–9.8 | 1.00 | 0.93 | 1.07 | 0.90 |
| Median time from sale to recovery (years)c | 1.5 | 1.0–1.8 | 1.1 | 0.8–1.8 | 1.45 | 0.83 | 2.54 | 0.20 |
| Clientele characteristics | ||||||||
| Gun-years from police sales (%)d | 6.0 | 3.8–8.4 | 6.6 | 4.9–9.8 | 1.01 | 0.94 | 1.09 | 0.80 |
| Denials, % of (sales + denials) | 1.9 | 1.2–2.6 | 1.9 | 1.4–2.3 | 1.18 | 0.83 | 1.67 | 0.37 |
| Median age of purchasers (years) | 42.5 | 40–45 | 43 | 40–45 | 1.01 | 0.91 | 1.11 | 0.90 |
| Male purchasers (%) | 93.1 | 89.5–93.8 | 92.9 | 90.8–94.3 | 0.95 | 0.83 | 1.09 | 0.47 |
| County characteristics e | ||||||||
| Federal firearm licensees per 100,000 persons | 8.4 | 4.5–20.4 | 6.6 | 4.2–15.0 | 1.02 | 0.99 | 1.06 | 0.21 |
| Homicide per 100,000 persons | 4.6 | 3.2–8.5 | 5.6 | 3.0–9.5 | 0.95 | 0.84 | 1.08 | 0.44 |
| Rape per 100,000 persons | 29.0 | 20.9–34.0 | 29.0 | 27.8–34.0 | 0.98 | 0.94 | 1.03 | 0.44 |
| Robbery per 100,000 persons (×10) | 9.9 | 6.7–20.0 | 12.4 | 8.7–26.5 | 0.98 | 0.93 | 1.02 | 0.25 |
| Aggravated assault per 100,000 persons (×10) | 34.2 | 23.4–51.7 | 36.2 | 31.1–53.9 | 0.98 | 0.96 | 1.01 | 0.22 |
| Felony weapons offenses per 100,000 personsf | 46.2 | 44.5–67.7 | 46.2 | 44.9–63.2 | 1.01 | 0.99 | 1.03 | 0.55 |
| Misdemeanor weapons offenses per 100,000 personsg | 14.4 | 12.0–23.9 | 12.6 | 11.2–19.2 | 1.02 | 0.97 | 1.07 | 0.45 |
| Black population (%) | 3.8 | 1.6–9.1 | 5.7 | 2.1–9.8 | 0.96 | 0.86 | 1.06 | 0.40 |
| Latino population (%) | 30.8 | 19.0–44.6 | 31.7 | 18.4–44.6 | 1.00 | 0.97 | 1.03 | 0.84 |
| Males ages 20–29, as % of males ages 40–44 | 187 | 165–208 | 188.5 | 170.5–208.0 | 1.00 | 0.99 | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Unemployed persons (% of persons ages ≥16) | 4.9 | 3.6–5.2 | 5.0 | 3.6–5.2 | 0.93 | 0.69 | 1.25 | 0.61 |
| Households headed by single females (%) | 11.9 | 10.9–14.7 | 13.4 | 11.5–14.7 | 1.00 | 0.82 | 1.21 | 0.95 |
| Median household income (×$1,000) | 42.2 | 34.7–55.9 | 42.2 | 40.1–47.1 | 1.00 | 0.96 | 1.04 | 0.96 |
| Households per 10,000 persons (×100) | 32.9 | 32.8–36.3 | 32.9 | 32.5–36.3 | 1.03 | 0.91 | 1.17 | 0.64 |
Variables are grouped by the entity they describe: the telephone call itself, the retailer, the retailer’s clientele, or the county in which the retailer is located. Because the descriptive statistics differ, categorical variables and continuous variables are listed separately
IQR interquartile range, OR odds ratio, CI confidence interval
aHandguns manufactured by seven companies—Bryco Arms/Jennings Firearms, Davis Industries, High Point Firearms, Lorcin Engineering, Phoenix Arms, Raven Arms, Sundance Industries—whose handguns all had suggested retail prices of approximately $150 or less; almost no such handguns were manufactured by other companies during the study period
bSales of more than one handgun in a single transaction (which became illegal in California in 2000)
cThe time between the dates of a gun’s sale and its recovery by police, in years
dSales to police agencies or individuals who were exempt, due to police employment, from California’s required basic firearms safety course
eFor the county in which the retailer is located
fAn arrest rate. Examples: unlawful possession of a weapon on the person, in a vehicle, or in a public place (charged as a felony), unlawful possession of weapon in public building, possession of short-barreled shotgun or rifle, possession of firearm by felon, carrying firearm with intent to commit felony, obliterating firearm serial number
gAn arrest rate. Examples: unlawful possession of a weapon on the person, in a vehicle, or in a public place (charged as a misdemeanor), possession of weapon with intent to assault, knowingly filing false firearm purchase application, selling firearms without a license, possession of unregistered assault weapon, sale of ammunition to a minor