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 now 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 understanding the true effects of policies is the only information lawmakers need. 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 best laws-including gun laws-are written when policymakers understand the effects of the policy on a range of outcomes and can weigh the inherent trade-offs.
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