![]() We categorized the scientific evidence on a relativistic scale, shown below. A team of RAND methodologists analyzed the methodological quality of each individual study and then applied standardized and explicit criteria for determining the strength of the evidence provided by the body of research regarding the effect of each policy. However, even among the research studies that met our criteria of using methods more appropriate for establishing the causal effects of gun policies, the methodological quality of studies varies. For instance, studies that reported simple correlations between gun policies and various outcomes at a single point in time did not meet our inclusion criteria, because such studies provide no evidence that it is the gun policy itself that explains the outcome differences rather than other social, demographic, or historical differences between jurisdictions with and without those policies. We restricted our analyses to only those studies using methods designed to identify possible causal effects of the policies. With continued growth in the number of new scientific publications on gun policy, we incorporate those studies in our updated analyses, in several areas drawing new or revised conclusions about the quality of evidence available to support claims about the effects of various policies. Another update, expanding the literature search to include studies published through 2020, was released in 2023. ![]() In 2020, we released an expanded and updated review, which added five new classes of gun policies and extended the period over which we conducted our literature search to span from 1995 to 2018. Our first such review, released in 2018, synthesized the available scientific data from studies published between 20 examining how 13 classes of state-level gun policies affect firearm-related deaths, violent crime, the gun industry, participation in hunting and sport shooting, and other outcomes. Learn more about the guidelines and steps used in our review of gun policy research »Īs part of the RAND Gun Policy in America initiative, we conducted rigorous and transparent reviews of what current scientific knowledge could tell the public and policymakers about the true effects of many gun policies that are frequently discussed in state legislatures. Nevertheless, understanding the true effects of policies on a variety of outcomes is essential to creating policies that are both fair and effective. There are many other considerations as well, such as whether policies are consistent with Second Amendment protections or might infringe on other rights. This is not to say that all lawmakers need is an understanding of the true effects of policies. ![]() In other words, policymakers need to understand the costs and benefits that different policies are likely to produce for society as a whole, including gun owners, communities wracked by violence, and other affected groups. For gun policies, relevant outcomes can include, among others, the health of the gun industry, individuals’ ability to defend themselves, and homicide and suicide rates. Good public policies are based on facts and data, and the most effective laws-including gun laws-are written when policymakers understand the effects of such laws on a range of outcomes and can weigh the inherent trade-offs.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |