Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Sociology

Committee Chair

Joseph Lariscy

Committee Member

Jeni Loftus

Committee Member

Junmin Wang

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of state policies and socio-economic factors on gun violence across the United States, aiming to unravel the dynamics that contribute to variations in violence rates at the state level. The study primarily explores the effects of firearm accessibility, state-level alcohol, drug, and healthcare policies, and broader socio-economic and demographic variables on gun violence incidents. Using comprehensive datasets from the Gun Violence Archive, State Policy & Politics Database, and U.S. Census, the research employs linear and Poisson regression models to quantitatively analyze the relationship between gun violence rates and an array of predictive factors over the period from 2014 to 2022. The linear regression model assesses the impact of these factors on gun violence rates per 100,000 population, while the Poisson regression focuses on the count of gun violence incidents, adjusted for state population sizes. Key findings reveal that increased firearm accessibility significantly correlates with higher gun violence rates, highlighting the critical role of gun control measures in violence reduction. Additionally, policies regulating alcohol and prescription drugs demonstrate varied impacts on gun violence, suggesting that the effectiveness of such policies may be influenced by local socio-economic conditions and enforcement effectiveness. The study also identifies significant links between economic policies, such as unemployment insurance and welfare benefits, and gun violence, underscoring the importance of economic stability in mitigating violence. This research contributes to the ongoing policy discussions aimed at reducing gun violence, providing empirical evidence to support targeted legislative and community interventions.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest.

Notes

Open Access

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