A study examines links between firearm-related deaths and laws restricting firearm storage and use. Approximately 39,000 individuals in the United States die annually from firearm injuries. Although several states have passed laws regulating firearm storage or use, it is unclear how such laws affect the number of firearm-related deaths. Terry Schell and colleagues reviewed three classes of gun laws: child access prevention (CAP) laws regulating how firearms can be stored, right-to-carry (RTC) laws making it easy to carry concealed firearms, and stand your ground (SYG) laws limiting the legal liability of individuals who use firearms in self-defense. The authors examined how the laws were associated with state-level changes in firearm deaths from 1980 to 2016 in the United States. Six years after enactment, CAP laws were associated with reduced firearm-related deaths, whereas RTC and SYG laws were associated with small increases in firearm-related deaths. States with the most restrictive policies, in which a CAP law but no RTC or SYG law was enacted, were estimated to have 11% fewer firearm deaths than states with the least restrictive policy combination. Nationwide, a reduction of this size corresponded to an estimated 4,475 fewer firearm deaths per year. The findings suggest that policies restricting how individuals store or use firearms may reduce the number of firearm-related deaths, according to the authors.
Article #19-21965: "Changes in firearm mortality following the implementation of state laws regulating firearm access and use," by Terry L. Schell, Matthew Cefalu, Beth Ann Griffin, Rosanna Smart, and Andrew R. Morral.
MEDIA CONTACT: Terry L. Schell, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA; tel: 310-393-0411x7145, 310-623-2354; email: tschell@rand.org
###
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences