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New research, same results

No, that’s not intended to sound snarky.

Part of scientific research is coming up with data that confirms what others have already said. Where science advances is when the new experiment is designed in such a way that it is not only capable of confirming a theory, but is also capable of showing that it’s wrong. (An example of this would be the Michelson-Morley experiment which failed to find the “aether” that was believed to be the medium upon which light waves propagate. This “most famous failure” was a tremendous step forward in the advancement of our understanding of electromagnetic theory.)

The latest advancement in the our understanding of how gun laws do and do not work comes from Quinnipiac University economics professor Mark Gius. Professor Gius’ ”An examination of the effects of concealed weapons laws and assault weapons bans on state-level murder rates” failed to find evidence that  laws that restricting concealed weapons or “assault weapons” can actually lower murder rates. (H/T: Reason) Contrary to the anti-gun lobby’s theories, Professor Gius found that restricting CCW does not lower murder rates. In fact, his results argue that just the opposite is true: Restricting CCW may increase murder rates.

The article’s abstract reads:

The purpose of the present study is to determine the effects of state-level assault weapons bans and concealed weapons laws on state-level murder rates. Using data for the period 1980 to 2009 and controlling for state and year fixed effects, the results of the present study suggest that states with restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons had higher gun-related murder rates than other states. It was also found that assault weapons bans did not significantly affect murder rates at the state level. These results suggest that restrictive concealed weapons laws may cause an increase in gun-related murders at the state level. The results of this study are consistent with some prior research in this area, most notably Lott and Mustard (1997).

For those who are concerned, Professor Gius appears to be tenured.

That was intended to sound snarky.

Posted in News.

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