Premium
California Firearms Law and Mental Illness
Author(s) -
Barnhorst Amy
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
behavioral sciences and the law
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.649
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1099-0798
pISSN - 0735-3936
DOI - 10.1002/bsl.2177
Subject(s) - mental illness , legislature , psychiatry , suicide prevention , state (computer science) , human factors and ergonomics , criminology , poison control , injury prevention , computer security , psychology , law , medicine , mental health , medical emergency , political science , computer science , algorithm
California provides numerous pathways by which people with mental illness can qualify for a state‐level firearm prohibition. The state's involuntary detention for psychiatric treatment, or “5150” (CA W&I Code 5150) process, is often cited as one potential mechanism for reducing violence by dangerous people, though its use is limited to people whose dangerousness is due to a mental illness. Additionally, California has taken legislative steps to prohibit firearm ownership among other people who have an increased risk of violence, regardless of whether or not mental illness is a factor. This article compares the California firearm ownership disqualification system for mental illness with the federal system and those of other states, examines the strengths and weaknesses of this system, and reviews alternatives. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.