Domestic Violence (DV) is a rising concern in the U.S. that imposes social costs, such as by lowering productivity and labor force participation. The availability of firearms and deadly weapons elevates the chances of homicides, including those from DV incidences. Therefore, states have enacted Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) policies to minimize homicides involving the use of firearms and their impacts. Compared to the state policy Domestic Violence Restraining Order (limited to intimate/dating relationships), this policy allows broader relationships to petition an immediate court order against those being suspected of harming others or themselves from possessing and purchasing firearms. My study will look into total cases involving extended family members, alongside controlling for the effects of DVRO. The average impact of ERPO and heterogeneity by gun ownership shares across states will be estimated using an event-study strategy with the panel data from the Uniform Crime Report from 2012-2021. After controlling for multiple factors, there is no evidence supporting the effect of ERPO on DV homicide cases, regardless of the type of relationship. The findings of the research will help inform policymakers on how to design effective policies against domestic violence.
Accessibility to Firearms and Dynamics of Domestic Violence Homicides in the United States
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Student Abstract Submission