The Department of Justice is inviting comments on the reinstatement of the Firearm Inquiry Statistics (FIST) Program, which collects data on background checks for firearm transfers. The program gathers information from state and local agencies about firearm applications, denials, and reasons for denials, and combines this data with national statistics from the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System. This enables the production of comprehensive statistics on firearm applications and denials. The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that 1,091 respondents will take part in the survey, with each spending around 25 minutes to complete it, resulting in an estimated total public burden of 455 hours annually. Comments will be accepted until March 16, 2021.
Simple Explanation
The Department of Justice wants to hear what people think about collecting information on background checks for people who want to buy guns. They'll ask over a thousand people questions, and it won't take long to answer. But some people are wondering exactly why this information is needed and how it will help people be safer.