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Background Checks for Firearm Transfers, 2004

Describes background checks for firearm transfers conducted in 2004. This annual report provides the number of applications checked by State points of contact, estimates of the number of applications checked by local agencies, the number of applications rejected, the reasons for rejection, and estimates of applications and rejections conducted by each type of approval system. It also provides information about appeals of rejected applications and arrests for falsified applications. The Firearm Inquiry Statistics Program, managed under the National Criminal History Improvement Program, is an ongoing data collection effort focusing on the procedures and statistics related to presale firearms background checks in selected States.

Highlights include the following:

  • Total applications for firearm tranfers or permits increased 3.2% nationwide, from 7,831,000 in 2003 to 8,084,000 in 2004.
  • In 2004 the rejection rate for applications checked by the FBI (1.4%) was lower than that for checks by State and local agencies (1.8%).
  • A felony conviction or indictment was the most common reason for rejection during 2004 by State or local agencies (50%) and the FBI (38%).

10/05 NCJ 210117

This publication is one in a series. More recent editions may be available. To view a list of all in the series go to the publications page.

Acrobat file (143K) | ASCII file (40K) | Spreadsheets (zip format 14K)

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