Can Gun Control Work in Red States?: Evidence from Florida's Risk Protection Order Law

Risk protection orders, also known as “red flag” laws, remove guns from those at risk to themselves or others. Risk protection order laws rose to prominence in 2018 after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Now twenty-one states and Washington, DC have risk protection order laws in place. This thesis examines Florida’s own red flag law, compiling more than 8,000 court records of risk protection orders from 2018 through 2022. It aims to answer two important questions: first, are risk protection orders being used effectively? To measure this, I employ statistical analysis to analyze variation among sheriffs and judges. Second, are risk protection orders equitable? Using county level data, I examine filing rates and outcomes for different racial, gender, and age groups. The results of both analyses paint a heartening picture: risk protection orders are being used effectively and equitably in Florida by Republican and Democrats alike.