Extreme Risk Protection Orders in Washington State and their impact on criminal legal system interactions

Abstract

Firearm restriction policies reduce firearm-related harm. Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) are civil orders which temporarily restrict and remove access to firearms among individuals (“respondents”) who demonstrate high-risk behaviors. This dissertation examined the characteristics and geographic distribution of Washington State’s ERPOs and evaluated criminal legal system interactions among ERPO respondents. ERPOs in Washington were predominantly filed due to concerns for harm to others, but a diverse range of high-risk behaviors were documented among ERPO respondents. There is geographic variability in ERPO use, and ERPOs filed for concerns of harm to self are not geographically aligned with underlying firearm suicide risk. Analyses of criminal legal system interactions show that respondents with a granted ERPO experience shorter arrest-free time for both any crime and violent crime compared to non-granted ERPO respondents. Collectively, findings suggest that ERPOs may function as a flexible, targeted intervention with the potential to influence population health by reducing access to firearms during periods of acute risk.