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Testing for the Effects of Concealed Weapons Laws: Specification Errors and Robustness*

* This paper is a replication of an original study

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  • Moody, Carlisle E

Abstract

In 1997, John Lott and David Mustard published an important paper in which they found that right-to-carry concealed weapons laws reduce violent crime. Although Lott and Mustard appear to do all possible variations of the analysis, a closer reading reveals that the study might suffer from several possibly important errors. I re-estimate the model and check for incorrect functional form, omitted variables, and possible second-order bias in the t-ratios. Lott and Mustard's basic conclusions are generally robust with respect to these potential econometric problems. Overall, right-to-carry concealed weapons laws tend to reduce violent crime. The effect on property crime is more uncertain. I find evidence that these laws also reduce burglary. Copyright 2001 by the University of Chicago.

Suggested Citation

  • Moody, Carlisle E, 2001. "Testing for the Effects of Concealed Weapons Laws: Specification Errors and Robustness," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 44(2), pages 799-813, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlawec:v:44:y:2001:i:2:p:799-813
    DOI: 10.1086/323313
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Naci Mocan & Kaj Gittings, 2010. "The Impact of Incentives on Human Behavior: Can We Make it Disappear? The Case of the Death Penalty," NBER Chapters, in: The Economics of Crime: Lessons For and From Latin America, pages 379-418, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Carlisle E. Moody & Thomas B. Marvell, 2008. "The Debate on Shall-Issue Laws," Econ Journal Watch, Econ Journal Watch, vol. 5(3), pages 269-293, September.
    3. Benson, Bruce L & Mast, Brent D, 2001. "Privately Produced General Deterrence," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 44(2), pages 725-746, October.
    4. Christoph Koenig & David Schindler, 2018. "Dynamics in Gun Ownership and Crime - Evidence from the Aftermath of Sandy Hook," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 18/694, School of Economics, University of Bristol, UK.
    5. John J. Donohue & Abhay Aneja & Kyle D. Weber, 2019. "RTC Laws Increase Violent Crime: Moody and Marvell Have Missed the Target," Econ Journal Watch, Econ Journal Watch, vol. 16(1), pages 1-97–113, March.
    6. Mark Gius, 2014. "An examination of the effects of concealed weapons laws and assault weapons bans on state-level murder rates," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(4), pages 265-267, March.
    7. Mark Duggan, 2001. "More Guns, More Crime," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 109(5), pages 1086-1114, October.
    8. Kai Tang & Qianbo Chen & Weijie Tan & Yi Jun Wu Feng, 2022. "The Impact of Financial Deepening on Carbon Reductions in China: Evidence from City- and Enterprise-Level Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-15, September.
    9. Helland Eric & Tabarrok Alexander, 2004. "Using Placebo Laws to Test "More Guns, Less Crime"," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 4(1), pages 1-9, January.
    10. Carlisle E. Moody & Thomas B. Marvell, 2009. "The Debate on Shall Issue Laws, Continued," Econ Journal Watch, Econ Journal Watch, vol. 6(2), pages 203-217, May.
    11. Jonathan Colmer & Jennifer L. Doleac, 2023. "Access to guns in the heat of the moment: more restrictive gun laws mitigate the effect of temperature on violence," CEP Discussion Papers dp1934, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    12. Patrick Duenow & Luke B. Connelly, 2024. "The effect of gun buy‐back law reform on homicides and suicides in Australia," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(2), pages 248-279, February.
    13. Schaffer, Mark & Kleck, Gary & Kovandzic, Tomislav, 2005. "Gun Prevalence, Homicide Rates and Causality: A GMM Approach to Endogeneity Bias," CEPR Discussion Papers 5357, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    14. Gius, Mark, 2019. "Using the synthetic control method to determine the effects of concealed carry laws on state-level murder rates," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 1-11.
    15. Mark Gius, 2015. "The effects of state and federal background checks on state-level gun-related murder rates," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(38), pages 4090-4101, August.
    16. Mark Gius, 2017. "Effects of Permit-to-Purchase Laws on State-Level Firearm Murder Rates," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 45(1), pages 73-80, March.
    17. Mark Duggan & Randi Hjalmarsson & Brian A. Jacob, 2008. "The Effect of Gun Shows on Gun-Related Deaths: Evidence from California and Texas," NBER Working Papers 14371, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Daniel Cerqueira & João Manoel Pinho de Mello, 2013. "Evaluating a National Anti-Firearm Law and Estimating the Causal Effect of Guns on Crime," Textos para discussão 607, Department of Economics PUC-Rio (Brazil).
    19. Paul R. Zimmerman, 2006. "Estimates of the Deterrent Effect of Alternative Execution Methods in the United States: 1978–2000," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 65(4), pages 909-941, October.
    20. Briggs Depew & Isaac D. Swensen, 2019. "The Decision to Carry: The Effect of Crime on Concealed-Carry Applications," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 54(4), pages 1121-1153.
    21. Barati, Mehdi, 2016. "New evidence on the impact of concealed carry weapon laws on crime," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 76-83.
    22. Colmer, Jonathan Mark & Doleac, Jennifer L., 2023. "Access to guns in the heat of the moment: more restrictive gun laws mitigate the effect of temperature on violence," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121304, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    Replication

    This item is a replication of:
  • Lott, John R, Jr & Mustard, David B, 1997. "Crime, Deterrence, and Right-to-Carry Concealed Handguns," The Journal of Legal Studies, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(1), pages 1-68, January.

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