The Politics of Illegal Gun Enforcement

• In Event: Gun Control Policies and Debates

Abstract

Gun violence is a central public policy concern in the United States. The public policy debates often focus on the efficacy of gun control legislation as well as the challenges of passing legislation given the strength of interest groups (e.g., National Rifle Association) and constituent composition at both the federal and state levels. Research on the politics of the legislative process provides explanations about the adoption of legislation, whereas policy analysis research tests the efficacy of various gun violence countermeasures. Often left ignored in the public debates and the academic research on the policy process of public responses to gun violence are questions about the politics of illegal gun enforcement at a local level. Drawing on theories of political institutionalism, the present study examines the role of local political context and state-level legislative changes on illegal gun enforcement in large United States cities. The paper addresses questions about extent to which police agencies are responsive to signals of political authorities’ priorities and local constituency political preferences based on innovative measures from political science. The study has implications for political theories of public administration, police organizational behavior and issues related to the efficacy of gun violence countermeasures based on deterrence theory.

Author

• Shea W. Cronin, Boston University