Working Paper: NBER ID: w28763
Authors: Toshio Ferrazares; Joseph J. Sabia; D. Mark Anderson
Abstract: Gun buyback programs (GBPs), which use public funds to purchase civilians' privately-owned firearms, aim to reduce gun violence. However, next to nothing is known about their effects on firearm-related crime or deaths. Using data from the National Incident Based Reporting System, we find no evidence that GBPs reduce gun crime. Given our estimated null findings, with 95 percent confidence, we can rule out decreases in firearm-related crime of greater than 1.1 percent during the year following a buyback. Using data from the National Vital Statistics System, we also find no evidence that GBPs reduce suicides or homicides where a firearm was involved. These results call into question the efficacy of city gun buyback programs in their current form.
Keywords: Gun buyback programs; Gun violence; Firearm-related crime; Public policy
JEL Codes: I10; K42
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Gun Buyback Programs (GBPs) (H57) | gun crime (K42) |
| Gun Buyback Programs (GBPs) (H57) | firearm-related suicides (J63) |
| Gun Buyback Programs (GBPs) (H57) | firearm-related homicides (Y50) |
| Gun Buyback Programs (GBPs) (H57) | increase in gun crimes (K42) |
| Gun Buyback Programs (GBPs) (H57) | decrease in gun crime > 11% (K42) |
| Gun Buyback Programs (GBPs) (H57) | decrease in gun crime > 12% (K42) |
| Gun Buyback Programs (GBPs) (H57) | decrease in gun crime > 23% (K42) |