Individuals subject to extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), or “red flag” laws, were significantly less likely to be arrested—including for violent and firearm-related offenses—while the orders were in effect than in the six months before. Strikingly, the drop in arrests did not end when the orders expired and continued for months afterward, according to a new study published in PNAS Nexus.
“These findings suggest ERPOs may interrupt acute-risk behavior while also contributing to longer-term reductions in criminal activity,” said Veronica Pear, first author of the paper. Pear is an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the UC Davis Centers for Violence Prevention (CVP).









