October 13, 2010

It is unfortunate that Indiana recently made headlines for its record on exports. That is because the Associated Press was reporting Indiana among the top 10 states for selling guns that crossed state lines and were used in crimes.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives traced more than 145,000 guns used in crimes in 2009 and found that more than 43,000 had been sold outside of the state in which the shooting took place. Nearly half were sold in a 10-state group that includes Indiana.

It's likely the Hoosier state was the source of an even higher number of weapons of violence given that more than a third of the crime guns weren't traceable.

One common variable among the high exporting states: They do not require background checks for every handgun sold at gun shows. In those states, the crime-gun export rate was 2 1/2 times higher than in states that do require such checks.

The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1983 requires that licensed gun dealers conduct background checks of purchasers before selling firearms. There is no such federal or state requirement for private sellers in Indiana, including those who hawk their wares at gun shows.

The United States is a world leader in gun violence. In an average year, more than 100,000 Americans are shot or killed with a gun.

Indiana should not be a major source of this destruction. Closing the state's gun show loophole would be a responsible first step toward stemming crime gun exports.