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Fewer guns, less crime: evidence from Brazil

Author

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  • Rodrigo Schneider

Abstract

SUMMARYThis paper studies the effects of legislation in Brazil that banned the right to carry guns and provided for a voter referendum regarding whether to ban the sale of all firearms. Using a regression discontinuity design, I find that gun-related homicides decreased by 12.2% and gunshot wounds that were ‘intended to kill’ by 16.3%, with the reduction of the former being especially pronounced in high-crime areas and among black males. There is no evidence of substitution effect as non-gun-related homicides were not affected. Two pieces of evidence suggest that the mechanism explaining this result is a decrease in the number of people carrying guns in response to the legislation: first, the number of cases of illegal gun carrying decreased and second, only gun-related homicides taking place outside the residence were reduced. Analysis of the subsequent voter referendum, which was defeated by a wide margin, shows stronger support for the complete firearms ban in the areas more affected by gun violence.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodrigo Schneider, 2021. "Fewer guns, less crime: evidence from Brazil," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 36(106), pages 287-323.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:ecpoli:v:36:y:2021:i:106:p:287-323.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/epolic/eiab005
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    Cited by:

    1. Isabel Musse & Rodrigo Schneider, 2023. "The effect of presidential election outcomes on alcohol drinking," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(1), pages 146-162, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    D72; H11; I12; J17; K14;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J17 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Value of Life; Foregone Income
    • K14 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Criminal Law

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