Key findings from this report on 26,723 firearms related offenses in Massachusetts during the period 2006 through 2008 include the following: 51 percent of all defendants charged with a firearms related offense were ages 17 to 24, and the majority of defendants were male versus female (91 percent vs. 9 percent, respectively); White defendants were more common than any other racial/ethnic background (38 percent), compared to Black (34 percent), Hispanic (22 percent), Asian (2 percent), or American Indian or Alaskan Native defendants (<1 percent); more than half (56 percent) of firearms related charged were dismissed or the State chose not to pursue prosecution; only 13 percent of charges resulted in a term of commitment; and as the age of defendants increased, the likelihood of receiving a term of commitment decreased (18 percent for ages 18-24 vs. 6 percent for ages 50+). The analysis also found that the following four firearm offense types accounted for 75 percent of all charges: Firearm with ID Card, Possession of Firearm w/o Permit, Possession of Firearm, and Firearm Violation (Other). This report was prepared by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to determine the number of firearms related offenses arraigned in the Commonwealth's courts for the period 2006 through 2008. Data for the report were obtained from the State's Criminal History Systems Board's Criminal Justice Information System. Figures, table, map, and appendixes