Working Paper: NBER ID: w15431
Authors: Philip J. Cook; Jens Ludwig; Adam Samaha
Abstract: The "core right" established in D.C. vs. Heller (2008) is to keep an operable handgun in the home for self-defense purposes. If the Court extends this right to cover state and local jurisdictions, the result is likely to include the elimination of the most stringent existing regulations - such as Chicago's handgun ban - and could also possibly ban regulations that place substantial restrictions or costs on handgun ownership. We find evidence in support of four conclusions: The effect of Heller may be to increase the prevalence of handgun ownership in jurisdictions that currently have restrictive laws; Given the best evidence on the consequences of increased prevalence of gun ownership, these jurisdictions will experience a greater burden of crime due to more lethal violence and an increased burglary rate; Nonetheless, a regime with greater scope for gun rights is not necessarily inferior - whether restrictive regulations would pass a cost benefit test may depend on whether we accept the Heller viewpoint that there is a legal entitlement to possess a handgun; In any event, the core right defined by Heller leaves room for some regulation that would reduce the negative externalities of gun ownership.
Keywords: Gun Control; Heller Decision; Firearm Regulation; Gun Ownership; Crime
JEL Codes: H21; K14
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Heller decision (L49) | increase in handgun ownership (R21) |
| increase in handgun ownership (R21) | increase in crime rates (K42) |
| increase in handgun ownership (R21) | increase in lethal violence (K42) |
| increase in handgun ownership (R21) | higher burglary rate (K42) |
| Heller decision (L49) | negative externalities (greater burden of crime) (K42) |