Impulse purchases, gun ownership, and homicides: Evidence from a firearm demand shock

Christoph Koenig, David Schindler*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

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.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1271-1286
Number of pages45
JournalReview of Economics and Statistics
Volume105
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 13 Sept 2023

Keywords

  • guns
  • homicides
  • gun control

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