Citation

Wintemute GJ, Hemenway DA, Webster DW, Pierce G, Braga AA. Am. J. Public Health 2010; 100(10): 1856-1860.

Affiliation

University of California, Davis.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2010.191916

PMID

20724672

Abstract

A widely publicized but unpublished study of the relationship between gun shows and gun violence is being cited in debates about the regulation of gun shows and gun commerce. We believe the study is fatally flawed. A working paper entitled "The Effect of Gun Shows on Gun-Related Deaths: Evidence from California and Texas" (www.nber.org/papers/w14371) outlined this study, which found no association between gun shows and gun related deaths. We believe the study reflects a limited understanding of gun shows and gun markets and is not statistically powered to detect even an implausibly large effect of gun shows on gun violence. In addition, the research contains serious ascertainment and classification errors, produces results that are sensitive to minor specification changes in key variables and in some cases have no face validity, and is contradicted by 1 of its own authors' prior research. The study should not be used as evidence in formulating gun policy.

Language: en