Skip to main content

Gun Control: Analyzing Available Data Could Help Improve Background Checks Involving Domestic Violence Records

GAO-16-483 Published: Jul 05, 2016. Publicly Released: Jul 05, 2016.
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

What GAO Found

Most of the 50 states submit domestic violence records—misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (MCDV) convictions and domestic violence protection orders—to the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for use during National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) checks, but states vary in their efforts to identify (“flag”) such records that prohibit an individual from obtaining a firearm under federal law. For example, in 2015, 22 states voluntarily participated in a program to identify criminal history records that prohibit individuals from obtaining firearms, which can include domestic violence records. FBI data also show that 47 states identified domestic violence protection orders that prohibit firearm purchases. Since not all domestic violence records that states submit to the FBI meet federal prohibiting criteria, flagging prohibiting records can help expedite NICS checks. The total number of prohibiting domestic violence records that states submit to the FBI is generally unknown because states are not required to flag prohibiting records and there is no automated process to disaggregate such records from other records checked by NICS.

For fiscal years 2006 to 2015, FBI data show that most NICS checks involving domestic violence records that resulted in denials were completed before firearm transfers took place (see table). However, about 6,700 firearms were transferred to individuals with prohibiting domestic violence records, which resulted in the FBI referring these cases to DOJ's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for firearm retrieval. Under federal law, firearm dealers may (but are not required to) transfer a firearm to an individual if the dealer has not received a response (proceed or denial) from the FBI after 3 business days.

Table: Background Check Denials and Firearm Transfers for Misdemeanor Crimes of Domestic Violence (MCDV) Convictions and Protection Orders, Fiscal Years 2006 to 2015

Category

Total denials

Within 3 days

After 3 days

Firearm transfers

MCDV convictions

59,000

41,000

18,000

6,221

Protection orders

30,000

28,000

2,000

559

Source: GAO analysis of Federal Bureau of Investigation data. I GAO-16-483

FBI data also show that during fiscal year 2015, the FBI completed 90 percent of denials that involved MCDV convictions within 7 business days, which was longer than for any other prohibiting category (e.g., felony convictions). The FBI completed 90 percent of denials that involved domestic violence protection orders in fewer than 3 business days. According to federal and selected state officials GAO contacted, the information needed to determine whether domestic violence records—and in particular MCDV convictions—meet the criteria to prohibit a firearm transfer is not always readily available in NICS databases and can require additional outreach to state agencies to obtain information. DOJ has taken steps to help states make prohibiting information more readily available to NICS—such as through training and grant programs—but does not monitor the timeliness of checks that result in denials by prohibiting category. Ongoing monitoring could help the FBI determine if specific prohibiting categories present greater challenges in making determinations than other categories and, in turn, the FBI could provide the results to other DOJ entities to help them establish priorities, such as for grants, state outreach, or training.

Why GAO Did This Study

The FBI and designated state and local criminal justice agencies use the FBI's NICS to conduct background checks on individuals seeking to obtain firearms. Persons prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms include individuals who have domestic violence records that meet federal disqualifying criteria. Under federal law, firearm dealers may transfer a firearm to an individual if the FBI has not made a proceed or denial determination within 3 business days.

GAO was asked to review NICS checks involving domestic violence records. This report (1) describes the extent to which states identify domestic violence records that prohibit an individual from obtaining a firearm and (2) evaluates the extent to which NICS checks involving domestic violence records are completed before firearm transfers take place and any related challenges in completing these checks.

GAO reviewed laws and regulations; analyzed FBI data from 2006 through 2015 on domestic violence records that states submitted to the FBI, FBI total checks and denial determinations, and DOJ firearm retrieval actions; and interviewed officials from DOJ and eight states (chosen based on number of domestic violence records submitted to NICS and other factors). State interview results are not generalizable but provide insights on state practices.

Recommendations

GAO recommends that FBI monitor the timeliness of NICS checks to assist DOJ entities in establishing priorities for improving the timeliness of checks. FBI agreed with the recommendation.

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Bureau of Investigation To help the NICS Section achieve its mission to enhance national security and public safety by providing the timely and accurate determination of a person's eligibility to possess firearms, the Director of the FBI should monitor NICS check outcomes for specific categories of prohibited individuals to assess timeliness and provide this information to other DOJ entities for use in establishing priorities and tools to assist states in submitting more complete records for use during NICS checks.
Closed – Implemented
In July 2016, we reported on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and designated state and local criminal justice agencies use of the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to conduct background checks on individuals seeking to obtain firearms. During our review, we found that the Department of Justice had taken steps to help states make prohibiting information more readily available to NICS, but did not monitor the timeliness of NICS checks that result in denials by prohibiting category, such as misdemeanor crime of domestic violence convictions. We also found that because the Department of Justice had not assessed its data to identify which prohibiting categories resulted in more delayed denials and firearm transfers to prohibited individuals, the department could not reasonably ensure that it had effectively prioritized resources and tools to assist states in providing more complete and accurate records for these categories. We recommended that the FBI monitor NICS check outcomes for specific categories of prohibited individuals to assess timeliness and share this information with other DOJ entities for use in establishing priorities and tools, such as training and grant programs, to assist states in submitting more complete records for use during NICS checks. The FBI concurred with this recommendation, and has since implemented systems to provide new capabilities and functionality to make NICS transaction processing more efficient and accurate. These systems also provide enhanced reporting capabilities, including reports with information on, among other things, how long delayed denial transactions take to complete and the prohibiting categories for the delayed denials. In May 2019, the FBI also provided GAO with its NICS Section 2018 Operations Report, which includes tables detailing firearm retrieval referrals and the prohibiting categories for the delayed denials. The operations reports are available to Department of Justice and state and local agencies for use in establishing priorities, among other things. As a result, this recommendation is closed as implemented.

Full Report

Office of Public Affairs

Topics

Agency missionsBackground investigationsCrimesCriminalsEligibility determinationsFederal aid for criminal justiceFederal lawFirearmsGun control lawInternal controlsMonitoringRecords