Is there something that just doesn’t make sense to you when it comes to guns and gun violence in America? A statistic you’ve been searching for, but haven’t been able to locate? Are you curious about the stories behind the gun laws we have (or don’t have)?
We had a lot of questions of our own when we started The Trace, which was founded in part to help close the knowledge gap that often shrouds the issue. Now we want to do a better job of understanding yours, and how we can help to answer them.
That’s why we created Ask The Trace, a special project driven by the curiosity of readers like you.
Here’s how it works:
Smart queries have flowed in since we launched this reader-powered initiative in August. Some we’ve been able to answer by mining our archives, and we’ll continue to post such responses in coming weeks. We’ve asked you to vote on reader-submitted suggestions. The winner of our first voting round was: How many military-style assault rifles are in the hands of civilians? Trace reporter Alex Yablon answers it here. Alex also wrestled with whether stronger gun laws reduce domestic homicide. And Miles Kohrman and Daniel Nass explored an essential question: Do gun laws affect rates of shooting deaths?
Please vote for your favorite question
If you’re visiting this page for the first time, or find yourself wondering about another dimension of the gun issue, we’re still taking new questions via the form below.
What do YOU want to know about guns and gun violence in America?
Help us find our next stories.
