The report argues that the state has very "poor gun-safety measures," noting that the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence gave Missouri an "F" rating for enacting "few" gun-violence prevention laws. And the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence gave the state a 4 out of a possible 100 points on its 2011 scorecard, ranking it 39th out of all 50 states for "strength of gun laws."
Additionally, weak gun laws make Missouri a "favorite state for gun traffickers to purchase guns," the report says, pointing out that in 2009, the state sold nearly 600 guns that were later used in crimes in other states.
One solution? Universal background checks, says Parsons.
"I would encourage people in Missouri to take this as a call to action," she says. "Do something and take meaningful steps to address this problem."
State Representative Stacey Newman, a Democrat and loud proponent of gun control, has proposed a universal background bill this session. That effort, which would close a loophole that permits sales without background checks, has gotten nowhere because Republican leadership in the House strongly opposes it.
And opponents of stricter policies have criticized the Center for American Progress report and similar research, arguing that tighter laws don't necessarily correlate to lower gun violence, saying that it can have the reverse impact of punishing law-abiding gun owners who are just protecting themselves.
In Missouri and across the country, gun-rights proponents argue that criminals will find a way to get guns one way or another.
Parsons responds: "Why should we make it easy for criminals to get guns?"
She notes that, nationwide, around 40 percent of sales don't go through background checks.
"We shouldn't make it so easy," she says.
Here's the full report.
And the Missouri fact sheet.
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