Officially, they’re called "extreme risk protection orders." Most people know them as “red flag laws." And right now in Connecticut and New York, they’re evolving.
Red flag laws first appeared more than 20 years ago in Connecticut. They were supposed to remove weapons from individuals who might be at risk of causing a mass shooting. But they’re often used to prevent types of gun violence that occur more frequently: domestic violence and suicides.
This year the laws have been expanded. We’ll explore red flag laws and how they work today on The Full Story.
This week's guests:
- Mike Lawlor, a professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven
- Ebong Udoma, WSHU senior reporter
- State Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D- Bridgeport, sponsored the legislation to expand the law
- Geraldine Hart, head of public safety at Hofstra University and former Suffolk County Police Commissioner
- Jeremy Stein, the executive director of the advocacy group Connecticut Against Gun Violence
