Rhode Island banned assault weapons in June, which will prohibit the manufacturing, purchasing, sale, transfer and possession of these weapons starting July 1, 2026, according to the Rhode Island Legislature.
A ban on assault weapons leaves Rhode Island residents with questions over the definition of gun violence, according to Christine Zozula, an associate professor of sociology and criminology at the University of Rhode Island.
It’s still unclear whether a ban would have any impact on preventing gun violence, according to Zozula.
“I don’t necessarily think that this legislation will do anything to curtail gun crime,” Zozula said. “I want to see data that would tell me [how this is effective].”
Fifty-two people die by gun violence per year in Rhode Island, according to a press release from Everytown for Gun Safety. Repairing damage from crimes involving firearms costs Rhode Island $752.1 million a year.
The ban doesn’t affect guns that are owned for self defense and only prohibits assault weapons with military-style features, according to Everytown for Gun Safety. The guns that the ban prohibits are weapons commonly used in mass shooting incidents. These weapons are easier to shoot quickly and accurately in combat.
People purchase guns for various reasons, and Zozula believes that race is a cultural factor. Some white Americans find that gun ownership means participation in law and order within their state, while some Black Americans find that it’s a response to their relationship with the effectiveness of state and local police and firefighters.
Gun ownership also connects to the idea of masculinity, according to Zozula. Some men can feel like they could exert or identify with their masculinity with their role as a citizen and protector of the family. For these men, putting themselves into a role of protecting the family and their community conceptualizes their gun ownership.
“I do think that the idea of safety and protection in the midst of changing or ineffective institutions left a little bit of a state of normlessness and confusion about what modern masculinity is,” Zozula said.
Rhode Island ranks 13th nationally for gun law strength, according to Everytown’s gun law report card. Rhode Island shows strength in background checking and requiring permits, but there were no childproof safety features. Additionally, Rhode Island doesn’t have funding services for victims of gun violence as part of policing and civil rights.
Harsh punishments such as being detained do not deter people from committing gun violence, according to Zozula. Deterrence is a three pronged concept based on severity, celerity and certainty of punishment. Observational studies that look at how people deter from committing crime, do not lead to a decrease in people’s criminal behaviors.
Besides reporting crime to first responders, an alternative form of response to crime is restorative justice, according to Zozula. This means people who were victimized want acknowledgement and understanding instead of watching someone go to prison. Restorative justice also prevents a cycle of violence and victimization for the offender.
