This study investigates the patterns of firearm acquisition, possession, and usage among incarcerated felons to determine the efficacy of gun control legislation. James D. Wright and Peter H. Rossi, both distinguished sociologists, utilize extensive survey data collected from prison populations to analyze the relationship between criminal behavior and firearm access. The authors present a framework that challenges common assumptions about the black market for weapons, arguing that policy interventions must account for the specific social and economic realities of the criminal demographic.

Experts in criminology and sociology recognize this work as a foundational empirical study regarding the intersection of criminal behavior and firearm policy. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous statistical approach employed by the authors to address a highly contentious public policy issue.