NCJ Number
231779
Journal
Journal of Crime and Justice Volume: 33 Issue: 1 Dated: 2010 Pages: 71-95
Date Published
2010
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This study examined gun homicide and homicide rates in 20 cities over 36 years to reevaluate the effectiveness of three common gun intervention strategies
Abstract
Recent spree-killings and a controversial second amendment Supreme Court ruling have redirected criminological research toward the critical question of how best to prevent gun related fatalities. However, a recent National Academy of Science report raises methodological concerns about many of the most commonly cited and reviewed gun policy research designs, which reintroduces scientifically the question of whether any existing gun intervention actually prevents fatalities. The present study adjusts for those concerns to then re-estimate the effects three of the most common gun interventions in the United States may exert on homicide rates and gun homicide rates in 20 major cities over a 36-year period. The results suggest that the Brady Law and one specific type of sentencing enhancement for gun crimes detectably reduce both outcomes, but that the others are ineffective. Policy implications and suggestions for future research are also discussed. Tables, notes, and references (Published Abstract)