Impulse Purchases, Gun Ownership, and Homicides: Evidence from a Firearm Demand Shock

Christoph Koenig and David Schindler

No 7833, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: Do firearm purchase delay laws reduce aggregate homicide levels? Using variation from a 6-month countrywide gun demand shock in 2012/2013, we show that U.S. states with legislation preventing immediate handgun purchases experienced smaller increases in handgun sales. Our findings indicate that this is likely driven by comparatively lower purchases among impulsive consumers. We then demonstrate that states with purchase delays also witnessed comparatively 2% lower homicide rates during the same period. Further evidence shows that lower handgun sales coincided primarily with fewer impulsive assaults and points towards reduced acts of domestic violence.

Keywords: guns; homicides; gun control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H10 H76 K14 K42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-law
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Impulse Purchases, Gun Ownership, and Homicides: Evidence from a Firearm Demand Shock (2023)
Working Paper: Impulse Purchases, Gun Ownership and Homicides: Evidence from a Firearm Demand Shock (2020)
Working Paper: Impulse Purchases, Gun Ownership and Homicides: Evidence from a Firearm Demand Shock (2018)
Working Paper: Impulse Purchases, Gun Ownership and Homicides: Evidence from a Firearm Demand Shock (2018)
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