The Relationship Between State Policies and Gun Violence in the United States

• In Event: Exploring the Role of Contextual, Legal, and Political Factors Influencing Gun Violence

Abstract

This study examines how state-level policies and socioeconomic factors shape gun violence in the United States between 2014 and 2022. Drawing on incident data from the Gun Violence Archive and policy information from the State Policy & Politics Database, we employed both linear and Poisson regression models to explore the interplay of firearm regulations, alcohol and drug policies, and social safety-net measures on firearm-related injury and death rates. Our analysis reveals that wider firearm availability strongly correlates with elevated gun violence incidents. We also find that alcohol and prescription drug policies can exert mixed effects, signaling that broader public health and economic measures must be considered alongside traditional gun control efforts. Unexpectedly, even modest changes—such as increased taxes on alcohol—showed noticeable associations with violence outcomes. In interpreting these results, we argue that a multifaceted policy framework is essential to reduce firearm-related harms. By integrating criminal justice reforms with economic, healthcare, and community-based strategies, states may more effectively address the root causes of gun violence and better protect public safety.

Author

• Purba Bhattacharjee, The University of Tennessee