Firearm violence is a significant health and social problem in California and across the United States. The lack of basic information on the epidemiology of firearm violence and its prevention has led to widespread misunderstanding of the problem and has impeded prevention efforts. Evidence of the effects of state policies and programs for reducing firearm violence as well as basic information on benefits, risks, and prevalence of firearm ownership in California are also lacking.

The California Firearm Violence Research Center (CA FVRC) is the first state-funded center for firearm violence research, founded to address these gaps in knowledge on firearm violence and its prevention in July 2017.

CA FVRC, according to Section 14231 of the California Penal Code: the California Firearm Violence Research Act, will conduct interdisciplinary work to address:

• The nature of firearm violence, including individual and societal determinants of risk for involvement in firearm violence, whether as a victim or a perpetrator.
• The individual, community, and societal consequences of firearm violence.
• Prevention and treatment of firearm violence at the individual, community, and societal levels.

In addition to rigorous research on firearm violence, CA FVRC is dedicated to its role in policy development, public dissemination of research findings, training of new investigators in the field of firearm violence, and supporting non-CA FVRC investigators conducting firearm violence research through its small grants program.

In 2020, CA FVRC accepted proposals for grants to support research that explores the causes of firearm violence and evaluates strategies and interventions for reducing firearm-related harm. 

CA FVRC is located at UC Davis, with Dr. Garen Wintemute as its director. The UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program, which for more than thirty years has conducted firearm research and policy development, will closely work with CA FVRC and provide unique opportunities; VPRP core investigators come have a variety of backgrounds related to firearms and firearm policy, including medicine, epidemiology, statistics and biostatistics, criminology, the law, economics, and policy studies.

CA FVRC lead investigators are:

• Garen Wintemute, M.D., M.P.H. (PI) 
• Amy Barnhorst, M.D. 
• Shani Buggs, Ph.D., M.P.H. 
• Rose Kagawa, Ph.D., M.P.H.
• Nicole Kravitz-Wirtz, Ph.D., M.P.H. 
• Hannah S. Laqueur, Ph.D., M.A., M.P.H. 
• Aimee Moulin, M.D. 
• Veronica Pear, Ph.D., M.P.H.

CA FVRC research projects will fall within one of six domains:

• Initial or foundational research to guide future prevention efforts
• Evaluation of existing and potential policies and programs
• Assessment of other approaches to firearm violence prevention
• Exploration of important specific questions
• Research that explores new frontiers
• Research that advances the science of violence prevention

Initial projects include a study of the epidemiology of firearm violence in California, a study of the effectiveness of comprehensive background checks and denial for violent misdemeanor convictions, and a state-wide survey of firearm ownership and use and exposure to firearm violence, and a study of risk factors for recurrent firearm-related injury.

Results of CA FVRC research will be disseminated primarily through publication in the peer-reviewed literature. Publications may appear in peer-reviewed journals in the fields of medicine, epidemiology, public health, criminology, and public policy, among others.

CA FVRC research results will also be disseminated through conferences, briefings, and meetings.

Research reports and other resources related to CA FVRC will be made available online at the CA FVRC Research Findings page.

In early 2020, the California Firearm Violence Research Center (CA FVRC) issued two requests for proposals (RFPs) for research to explore the causes of firearm violence and evaluate strategies and interventions to reduce firearm violence. One RFP was for small grants (<$10,000) in support of work to be conducted over one year. The other was to support longer-term projects with awards of up to $75,000.

The Center’s mission is to conduct basic, translational and transformative research that provides sound scientific evidence on the nature, causes, consequences and prevention of firearm violence; to disseminate that evidence and promote the adoption of evidence-based firearm violence prevention measures; and to expand and extend such efforts through education and training in firearm violence research and its applications. In addition to training new investigators in firearm violence research, CA FVRC seeks to enlarge the pool of researchers of firearm violence through the small grant program.

All research funds are awarded on the basis of scientific merit as determined by an open, competitive peer review process that assures objectivity, consistency, and high quality.

The center shall work on a continuing basis with policymakers in the Legislature and state agencies to identify, implement, and evaluate innovative firearm violence prevention policies and programs.

CA FVRC Principal Investigators will brief policymakers on the most recent research and seek to translate results of research into policies and programs for violence prevention.

CA FVRCThe pool of junior and senior investigators of firearm violence is disproportionately small when compared with those of other public health burdens. CA FVRC has a unique opportunity to engage the next generation of firearm violence researchers and experts. Training this next generation is crucial for a sustained and successful firearm violence prevention effort.

To help ensure a long-term and successful effort to understand and prevent firearm violence, the center shall recruit and provide specialized training opportunities for new researchers, including experienced investigators in related fields who are beginning work on firearm violence, young investigators who have completed their education, postdoctoral scholars, doctoral students, and undergraduates.

CA FVRC aims to increase the number of investigators working on firearm violence research. This includes existing faculty from related fields, entry-level researchers, postdoctoral scholars, doctoral students, and others.