Extreme risk protection orders, more commonly referred to as "red flag" laws, have been passed across the country as a means to prevent gun violence — but there are many questions about what these laws involve and how well they work.
Until 2018, just five states had adopted red flag laws. The number of states implementing such laws surged after the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
The nonprofit group Everytown for Gun Safety has been a big advocate for these laws. They're vital to preventing gun violence, said Chelsea Parsons, Everytown's director of implementation.
"They provide a proactive opportunity to prevent tragedies," she said. "You don't have to wait for somebody to commit a crime when there are clear warning signs that this person having access to firearms poses a clear risk."
Here's what to know about red flag laws and their impact on gun violence.
These laws allow people to petition for the temporary confiscation of an individual's firearms if that person is deemed to be a risk to themself or to others.
Petitioners first ask a judge to issue a confiscation order. They present evidence about the risk they believe the individual poses. The judge decides when to issue an order.
"The basic idea behind these laws is that they allow a court to order a firearm to be temporarily taken away from a person who presents an immediate risk to themselves or others," said Joseph Blocher, co-director of Duke...
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