For many Americans, especially victims and perpetrators of violent crimes, the possession of firearms can have life-or-death consequences. In fact, victims of domestic violence are five times more likely to be killed when a gun is present. This bleak reality was central to the foundation of Act 79 of 2018, a gun safety bill that amended the Pennsylvania Uniform Firearms Act and the Pennsylvania Protection from Abuse Act. Designed to safeguard victims of domestic violence, this law requires individuals to surrender their firearms and ammunition when a final protection from abuse order is issued or when they are convicted of an interpersonal violence related crime. Unfortunately, enforcement of Act 79 has been inconsistent.

Recognizing an urgent need for action, Professor Elizabeth Van Nostrand of Temple University College of Public Health (CPH) has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). With this funding, Van Nostrand is launching a vital project to evaluate the enforcement of Act 79 on a county-by-county basis and identify potentially life-saving strategies.

“Pennsylvania’s law is more stringent than federal law,” Van Nostrand explains. “While federal regulations prohibit certain individuals from purchasing firearms, Pennsylvania mandates that they must actually surrender any firearms and ammunition they currently possess.” However, a recent study from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) revealed shocking discrepancies in firearm relinquishment rates across the state, with some counties reporting 100% compliance and others none at all.

This project aims to uncover the reasons behind these findings. “We want to understand the ‘why’—is it a lack of resources, disagreement with the law, hesitance from victims to come forward, or something entirely different? Interestingly, political leanings do not appear to be indicative of a region’s enforcement trends.” Over the next two years, Van Nostrand’s research team will conduct interviews with judges, sheriffs, victims, and advocacy groups across eight diverse counties in Pennsylvania, ensuring representation from urban, rural, and politically varied communities.

The interdisciplinary nature of the project embodies the collaborative spirit of CPH. Van Nostrand emphasizes the importance of this collaboration: “When you examine a question in isolation, you miss the broader picture. Our diverse team from different departments across the College of Public Health and School of Social Work (SSW) enhances our ability to tackle this complex issue from multiple perspectives.”

As the principal investigator, Van Nostrand, with the support of David B. Sarwer, Senior Associate Dean for Research and Strategic Partnerships, has assembled a distinguished team of collaborators. “Professor Van Nostrand has an incredibly impressive track record of impactful research at the intersection of public health and state or federal law,” noted Sarwer. “I’m particularly impressed with the expertise of the team she has assembled, representing faculty and students from multiple departments and schools in the College.” The team includes:

• Melody J. Slashinski, Associate Professor and qualitative expert; 
• Sherief Ibrahim, Assistant Professor, former police officer, and former detective;
• Melissa Dichter, Professor from SSW and researcher specializing in interpersonal violence;
• Alyssa Johnston, Senior Research Associate with a decade of experience working alongside Van Nostrand;
• Public Health Management Corporation, a partner organization assisting with victim advocacy outreach;
• Hunter Gashi, a Temple undergraduate student, and Ebony Scott, a graduate MPH student.

PCCD funding will support administrative expenses, the acquisition of specialized software for data analysis, travel costs, and the dissemination of findings. The research will culminate in a series of recommendations aimed at enhancing the enforcement of Act 79, with a dedicated website to share results and resources.

This initiative is particularly significant as it addresses both the safety of victims and the broader implications of firearm access in volatile domestic situations. “Removing weapons from individuals with histories of violence can save lives,” asserts Van Nostrand. “We are also aware of the disproportionate impact that interpersonal violence has on marginalized communities, including the LGBTQ+ community.”

With a commitment to understanding and addressing the complexities of firearm safety and domestic and interpersonal violence, CPH is poised to make a significant impact throughout the Commonwealth—and potentially even beyond, as Van Nostrand suggests. “We hope our findings will not only benefit Pennsylvania, but also drive meaningful legislative change across the nation.”