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Safe-Storage Gun Laws: Accidental Deaths, Suicides, and Crime

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  • Lott, John R, Jr
  • Whitley, John E

Abstract

It is frequently assumed that safe-storage gun laws reduce accidental gun deaths and total suicides, while the possible impact on crime rates is ignored. We find no support that safe-storage laws reduce either juvenile accidental gun deaths or suicides. Instead, these storage requirements appear to impair people's ability to use guns defensively. Because accidental shooters also tend to be the ones most likely to violate the new law, safestorage laws increase violent and property crimes against law-abiding citizens with no observable offsetting benefit in terms of reduced accidents or suicides. Copyright 2001 by the University of Chicago.

Suggested Citation

  • Lott, John R, Jr & Whitley, John E, 2001. "Safe-Storage Gun Laws: Accidental Deaths, Suicides, and Crime," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 44(2), pages 659-689, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlawec:v:44:y:2001:i:2:p:659-89
    DOI: 10.1086/338346
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Abdul Munasib & Genti Kostandini & Jeffrey L. Jordan, 2018. "Impact of the Stand Your Ground law on gun deaths: evidence of a rural urban dichotomy," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 527-554, June.
    2. Jeff DeSimone & Sara Markowitz, 2005. "The Effect of Child Access Prevention Laws on Non-Fatal Gun Injuries," NBER Working Papers 11613, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Jeffrey DeSimone & Sara Markowitz & Jing Xu, 2013. "Child Access Prevention Laws and Nonfatal Gun Injuries," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 80(1), pages 5-25, July.
    4. Janet Currie & Michael Mueller-Smith & Maya Rossin-Slater, 2022. "Violence While in Utero: The Impact of Assaults during Pregnancy on Birth Outcomes," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 104(3), pages 525-540, May.
    5. Anderson, D. Mark & Sabia, Joseph J., 2016. "Child Access Prevention Laws, Youth Gun Carrying, and School Shootings," IZA Discussion Papers 9830, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Mark Anderson, D. & Sabia, Joseph J. & Tekin, Erdal, 2021. "Child access prevention laws and juvenile firearm-related homicides," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    7. H. Naci Mocan & Erdal Tekin, 2003. "Guns, Drugs and Juvenile Crime: Evidence from a Panel of Siblings and Twins," NBER Working Papers 9824, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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