By Emily Tiry, Kelly Roberts Freeman and William Adams

States and localities maintain primary responsibility for addressing violent crime in their communities, but the federal government also plays an important role in combating violence. One key part of that role is the enforcement of federal gun laws that regulate receipt and possession of firearms as well as their manufacture, importation, distribution, and transfer. Federal law also penalizes the criminal use of firearms. Most defendants in federal firearms cases are charged pursuant to the Gun Control Act of 1968, which regulates interstate and foreign firearms commerce and prohibits certain persons, such as those with felony convictions, from possessing a firearm (box 1). Federal prosecution is sometimes considered more advantageous than state prosecution because it carries more certain and punitive penalties. Moreover, targeted federal prosecutions through federal, state, and local task forces like Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) can be a key component of crime-reduction strategies.

Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2021. 45p.