A study analyzed firearm rights restoration (FRR) in Washington state from 2017 to 2022, revealing insights about individuals regaining their firearm rights after felony or domestic violence misdemeanor convictions. Federal law restricts firearm possession for these individuals, and state law governs the reinstatement process. Researchers examined data from the Washington State Patrol, identifying 11,516 FRR recipients during the six-year period, averaging about 1,900 annually.

The majority of those who received FRR were male (88.4%) and predominantly White (84.2%). Notably, half of the recipients (51.4%) had prior convictions for violent crimes. On average, 15.3 years passed between their last prohibiting conviction and the restoration of their rights. In the five years leading to their FRR, 710 individuals had been arrested, and 200 were subject to protection orders.

The findings highlight the need for improved understanding of FRR practices and suggest that the variability among prohibited individuals could inform eligibility criteria, balancing public safety with the fair restoration of rights for those previously convicted.