GIFFORDS finds crime has increased after 20 years of gun industry immunity
This month marks the 20th anniversary of Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA)
WASHINGTON — Today, GIFFORDS Law Center, the legal arm of the national gun violence prevention organization GIFFORDS, released new findings that show gun violence and crime have risen drastically since Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) was signed into law 20 years ago. The 2005 law gives the gun industry unprecedented legal immunity from lawsuits. The full findings from GIFFORDS can be found here.
“Twenty years ago, Congress handed the gun industry a huge windfall and a permission slip to act recklessly, and Americans have paid with their lives. Since then, gun violence has surged and industry profits have soared over 300%. This isn’t a coincidence—it is the result of shielding the gun industry from accountability in court. While CEOs get rich, families across the country lose loved ones and live in fear,” said GIFFORDS Executive Director Emma Brown. “Gun industry immunity was the biggest special interest giveaway in the history of the United States. To truly address gun violence and crime in the United States, this law must be repealed. No one is above the law and it is past time the gun industry is held accountable for the violence it spreads.”
Gun violence has skyrocketed since PLCAA was enacted:
- The number of gun homicides increased from 12,352 (2005) to nearly 21,000 (2021). The most recent CDC data shows 17,927 gun homicides in 2023.
- Americans are 35% more likely to be a victim of gun homicide than when PLCAA passed in 2005.
- In 2005, 30,694 people were killed by guns. In 2023, it was a staggering 46,728. That’s a 52% increase in gun deaths during a period of time where the U.S. population increased by a mere 13%.
- Gun suicides have increased even more dramatically over that same period. In 2023, there were 27,300 gun suicide deaths, a 61% increase from when PLCAA passed in 2005.
- Just as alarming, gun deaths among young people have gone up by a staggering 73% in just 20 years—increasing from under 1,500 annually in 2005 to over 2,580 in 2023. Gun violence is the number one killer of kids and teens in the United States.
Go deeper: How the Gun Industry Has Changed since PLCAA
MEDIA REQUESTS
Our experts can speak to the full spectrum of gun violence prevention issues. Have a question? Email us at media@giffords.org.
Contact