Preventive Effect of Strict Gun Control Laws on Suicide and Homicide

• NCJ Number: 89556
• Journal: Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior Volume: 12 Issue: 3 Dated: (Fall 1982) Pages: 131-140
• Author(s): D Lester; M E Murrell
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Parts of this paper were presented at the American Society of Criminology meeting, San Francisco, 1980, and the 11th Congress of the International Association for Suicide Prevention, Paris, 1981.

Annotation

States with stricter handgun control laws in 1968 were shown to have lower suicide rates by firearms both in 1960 and in 1970.

Abstract

These states also had higher rates of suicide by 'other means.' In contrast, no such effect of strict handgun control laws was found for mortality from homicide by firearms. More detailed analyses indicated that restrictions on selling and buying handguns were more important than restrictions on carrying handguns. (Author abstract)