Firearm injuries are a leading cause of death in the United States and currently a great concern plaguing communities across the nation. Many of these communities are searching for solutions to create a safer environment for their community members and children.

Roughly 30% of households own at least one firearm and of these households an estimated 7% improperly store their firearm, this may include leaving the firearm loaded and unlocked or without a trigger safety in place. It has been shown that intentional and unintentional gun violence increases when access to firearms is also increased, or made easier when a gun is located within a home. Households that own a firearm are more likely to have higher rates of suicide, homicide, and domestic violence.

Endeavoring to create a safer community, the Worcester Police Department in collaboration with UMASS Memorial Medical Center, Worcester Department of Public Health, Worcester District Medical Society, and the Injury-Free Coalition for Kids of Worcester, created the Goods for Guns (G4G) Buyback Program in 2001. The initial objectives were to remove unwanted or improperly stored firearms from homes, educate the community about firearm-related injuries, and to promote safe gun ownership practices. Since 2009, program staff have interviewed participants to better understand their home environment, firearm safety experience, and weapon storage. In 2015, participants completed an anonymous survey that was designed to gather more detailed insight into participant’s perspective of the program and provide additional areas of feedback to prevent childhood firearm related injuries.

The goals of this program are three-fold: first, to remove unwanted improperly stored guns from homes; second, to educate the community about the increased risk of gun-related injuries in the home and the importance of safe gun storage; and third, to identify individuals possessing improperly stored guns at home and provide them with safety information and alternatives.

This program shows a strong collaboration between health care providers and public safety offices and showcases a low-cost means of removing unwanted firearms from the community. Additionally, most participants felt their homes were safer after turning in their firearm(s).

During a G4G Buyback event in December 2015, 186 individuals from Central/Western Massachusetts turned in 339 weapons. Participants received between US $25 and US $75 in gift cards dependent on what type of gun was turned in, with an average cost of $41/gun. A total of 109 (59%) participants completed the survey. Respondents were mostly white (99%), men (90%) and first-time participants in the program (85.2%). Among survey respondents, 54% turned in firearms “for safety reasons.” Respondents reported no longer needing or wanting their weapons (47%) and approximately one in eight participants were concerned their firearm(s) were accessible to children. Most respondents (87%) felt the program encouraged neighborhood awareness of firearm safety. Three of every five participants reported that guns still remained in their homes, of which, in 21% children could still access the firearms and 14% of households with remaining guns had at least one member with a history of mental illness, suicide, or domestic violence.