TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Leigh, Andrew
AU  - Neill, Christine
        TI  - Do Gun Buybacks Save Lives? Evidence from Panel Data
        PY  - 2010/Jun/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 4995
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/index.php/publications/dp4995
        AB  - In 1997, Australia implemented a gun buyback program that reduced the stock of firearms by around one-fifth. Using differences across states in the number of firearms withdrawn, we test whether the reduction in firearms availability affected firearm homicide and suicide rates. We find that the buyback led to a drop in the firearm suicide rates of almost 80 per cent, with no statistically significant effect on non-firearm death rates. The estimated effect on firearm homicides is of similar magnitude, but is less precise. The results are robust to a variety of specification checks, and to instrumenting the state-level buyback rate.
        KW  - suicide
KW  - homicide
KW  - firearms ownership
KW  - panel data
        ER  -