Have US gun buyback programs misfired?

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Ferrazares, Toshio; Sabia, Joseph J.; Anderson, D. Mark
• 署名单位: City University of New York (CUNY) System; Hunter College (CUNY); California State University System; San Diego State University; Montana State University System; Montana State University Bozeman
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF POLICY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1520-6869
• DOI: 10.1002/pam.70045
• 发表日期: 2025
• 页码: 1211-1249
• 关键词: TO-CARRY LAWS; australian firearms legislation; access-prevention laws; BACKGROUND CHECKS; violent crime; panel-data; state; suicide; deaths; decline

摘要

Gun buyback programs (GBPs), which use public funds to purchase civilians' privately-owned firearms, aim to reduce gun violence. However, next to nothing is known about their effects on firearm-related crime or deaths. Using data from the National Incident Based Reporting System, we find no evidence that GBPs reduce gun crime. Given our estimated null findings, with 95% confidence, we can rule out decreases in firearm-related crime of greater than 1.2% during the year following a buyback. Using data from the National Vital Statistics System, we also find no evidence that GBPs reduce suicides or homicides where a firearm was involved. These results call into question the efficacy of city gun buyback programs in their current form.