Firearm Violence and Effects on Concealed Gun Carrying: Large Debate and Small Effects

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2018

Abstract

Research has yet to identify a predictive relationship between crime and the issuance of aggregated concealed gun permits. The present study examines if a macro-level relationship exists between both concealed carry firearm applications and permits and violent crime committed with a firearm. Florida county-level data for concealed carry applications and violent crime are combined with police employment, socioeconomic, political, and firearm subculture variables across two temporal periods using both county and year fixed effects models. Unstandardized negative binomial regressions are employed with multiple alternative model specifications and diagnostic tests. Findings indicate a positive association between crime, especially those committed with a firearm, and concealed carry applications and permits. The effect size of firearm violent crime on concealed carry applications and permits is minimal. There is a demonstrable link between firearm violence and concealed carry applications and permits issued, net all covariates. Findings should be tempered by the minimal effect sizes.

Publication Title

Journal of Interpersonal Violence

Volume

33

Issue

19

First Page

3025

Last Page

3052

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1177/0886260516633608

PubMed ID

26917568

ISSN

08862605

E-ISSN

15526518

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