Stand Your Ground Laws, Homicides, and Injuries

This paper examines the impact of Stand Your Ground laws on firearm homicides and injuries. Using state-level monthly data and a difference-in-difference identification strategy, we find that these laws result in an increase in homicides. According to our estimates, at least 30 individuals are killed each month as a result of Stand Your Ground laws. Furthermore, we document evidence to suggest that these laws also are associated with an increase in hospitalizations related to firearm-inflicted injuries. Taken together, the findings in this paper raise serious doubts against the argument that Stand Your Ground laws make the public safer.