An Analysis on Gun Violence

Discussion on Potential Solutions

Variation in Definition

• What defines a mass shooting varies across sources.

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• The general definition often used and brought forth by the Gun Violence Archive states that any event in which four people are either fatally or nonfatally injured constitutes a mass shooting.

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Variation in Definition (cont.)

• This variation in definition inevitably comes with variance in statistics across sources.

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• For transparency, our regression was completed using data curated by Everytown Research & Policy – a gun safety support fund.

Regression Output

The use of an assault weapon is associated with an increase of 20 total victims, when compared to non-assault weapon shootings.

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This simple regression shows that prohibited users on average, shoot 5 less civilians when compared to acts by non-prohibited gun users.

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This could indicate that user restrictions are not as tight as necessary. Leaving higher risk individuals marked as allowed to own weapons.

Source: Everytown Research, authors calculations

Model Limitations

Although, more likely, adjustments must be made to this regression to yield more accurate results. The current simple regression suffers from much omitted variable bias.

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Additional variables should include more controls to increase the accuracy of the output.

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Interesting areas to test include Government regulation its variation across states, and social programs, such as mental health support, that could influence citizen well being.

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Source: Everytown Research, authors calculations

A Global Perspective

• Our model incorporates data specific to the United States, but when forming a policy response, it can be useful to take a glance at other countries.

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• Questions to ask include, how strict are United States counterparts’ regulation on gun ownership?

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Source: Small Arms Survey, 2017

Source: Small Arms Survey, 2017

Areas for future research

• Many Eurozone countries have fewer total firearms issued and have less homicides by firearms when compared to the United States.

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• It may be useful to analyze Eurozone countries and their policy framework when testing solutions to this dangerous issue.

Policy Response

• We believe that tighter background checks on all weapons should be put in place.

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• Such background checks must also be standard across all states to ensure continuity.

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• All form of gun sales should be subject to this restriction.

Policy Response (cont.)

• Our regression shows the outsized effect of the use of assault weapons in total number of victims.

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• As such, restrictions should become tighter depending on the danger capacity of the weapon.

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• This will be done to protect both high risk users and potential victims of such events.

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Thank you.