Guns and Crime

We estimate several models of handguns and crime based on state-level panel data for 1977-1998 using both General Social Survey data on gun availability and a new measure of handgun prevalence. We find that handguns have a negligible effect on crime. Apparently, there is either no causation between guns and crime, or a rough equilibrium between criminals who use guns in the commission of crime and ordinary citizens who use guns to defend themselves and deter crime.