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Guns, Offense Type, and Virginia Exile

Should Gun Reduction Policies Focus on Specific Offenses?

Georgia State University

Randy R. Gainey

Old Dominion University

Efforts to curb gun crimes are the cornerstone of many criminal justice policies. Recent policies have called for different strategies including stiffer penalties, targeting hot spots, and targeting specific types of offenses. In this article, attention is given to whether gun reduction policies should focus on specific offense types as was outlined in Virginia Exile, a statewide policy aiming to deter gun violence. Case files (n = 559) from one prosecutor's office in southeastern Virginia were reviewed to determine the degree to which gun offenses were tied to three offenses—robbery, homicide, and drug offenses. Attention was also given to the dynamics surrounding crimes in which guns were used. The results suggest that guns were rarely used in drug offenses (which included possession offenses). Also, offenders from nearby communities were more likely to carry guns than those who lived in the community where they were arrested. Implications are provided.

Key Words: guns • program evaluation • Project Exile

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