Extreme Risk Protection Order Model Policy Guide

By TIM CAREY, LISA GELLER, SPENCER CANTRELL, KELLY ROSKAM, JOSHUA HORWITZ,

This Model Policy Guide is designed to inform advocates and policymakers about important elements to include in evidence-informed public health policy. The guidance in this report is structured to be applied in any state across the country, regardless of jurisdictional differences. While some of the recommendations contained herein are necessary for the law to function properly, variations in the law are naturally going to occur due to local practice. Readers should ensure that the essential elements are in place and strive to incorporate other promising practices to improve the life-saving potential of this policy. ERPOs Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) are civil court orders that temporarily prohibit the possession and purchase of firearms by people adjudicated by a court to pose a danger to themselves and/or others. These laws are currently implemented in 21 states and the District of Columbia and show promise in addressing risks of suicide and mass violence. As further research continues to shed light on the life-saving effects of ERPO laws, this report details essential elements and promising practices to make ERPO laws function the best they can based on the evidence available to us.

Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions , 2024. 33p.