Child access prevention laws and juvenile firearm-related homicides

D. Mark Anderson, Joseph J. Sabia and Erdal Tekin

Journal of Urban Economics, 2021, vol. 126, issue C

Abstract: Debate over safe-storage gun regulations has captured public attention in the aftermath of several high-profile shootings committed by minors. To date, the existing literature provides no evidence that these laws are effective at deterring gun crime, a conclusion that has prompted the National Rifle Association to assert that such regulations are “unnecessary” and “ineffective.” Using data from the FBI's Supplementary Homicide Reports for the period 1985–2013, we find that child access prevention (CAP) laws are associated with a 17 percent reduction in firearm-related homicides committed by juveniles. The estimated effect is stronger among whites than nonwhites and is driven by states enforcing the strictest safe-storage standard. We find no evidence that CAP laws are associated with firearm-related homicides committed by adults or with non-firearm-related homicides committed by juveniles, suggesting that the observed relationship between CAP laws and juvenile firearm-related homicides is causal.

Keywords: Gun control; Child access prevention laws; Homicides; Crime (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H7 K4 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Child Access Prevention Laws and Juvenile Firearm-Related Homicides (2018)
Working Paper: Child Access Prevention Laws and Juvenile Firearm-Related Homicides (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:juecon:v:126:y:2021:i:c:s0094119021000693

DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2021.103387

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