Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • January 2020
  • Article
  • Journal of Public Economics

The Impact of Mass Shootings on Gun Policy

By: Michael Luca, Deepak Malhotra and Christopher Poliquin
  • Format:Print
ShareBar

Abstract

There have been dozens of high-profile mass shootings in recent decades. This paper presents three main findings about the impact of mass shootings on gun policy. First, mass shootings evoke large policy responses. A single mass shooting leads to a 15% increase in the number of firearm bills introduced within a state in the year after a mass shooting. This effect increases with the extent of media coverage. Second, mass shootings account for a small portion of all gun deaths but have an outsized influence relative to other homicides. Third, when looking at bills that were actually enacted into law, the impact of mass shootings depends on the party in power. The annual number of laws that loosen gun restrictions doubles in the year following a mass shooting in states with Republican-controlled legislatures. We find no significant effect of mass shootings on laws enacted when there is a Democrat-controlled legislature, nor do we find a significant effect of mass shootings on the enactment of laws that tighten gun restrictions.

Keywords

Gun Violence; Gun Policy; Crime and Corruption; Governance; Policy; United States

Citation

Luca, Michael, Deepak Malhotra, and Christopher Poliquin. "The Impact of Mass Shootings on Gun Policy." Art. 104083. Journal of Public Economics 181 (January 2020).
  • Find it at Harvard
  • Read Now

About The Authors

Michael Luca

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
→More Publications

Deepak Malhotra

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • June 10, 2022
    • Washington Post

    What the Research Really Says about American Immigration, Book review of <i>Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success</i>, by Ran Abramitzky and Leah Boustan

    By: Michael Luca
    • May 2022
    • Management Science

    Complex Disclosure

    By: Ginger Zhe Jin, Michael Luca and Daniel Martin
    • November 5, 2021
    • Harvard Business Review Digital Articles

    Leaders: Stop Confusing Correlation with Causation

    By: Michael Luca
More from the Authors
  • What the Research Really Says about American Immigration, Book review of <i>Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success</i>, by Ran Abramitzky and Leah Boustan By: Michael Luca
  • Complex Disclosure By: Ginger Zhe Jin, Michael Luca and Daniel Martin
  • Leaders: Stop Confusing Correlation with Causation By: Michael Luca
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College