Examining the impact of child access prevention laws on youth firearm suicides using the synthetic control method

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to determine the relationship between Child Access Prevention (CAP) laws and state-level youth firearm suicide rates. This paper differs from prior research in several ways. First, this is one of the few studies to focus exclusively on youth firearm suicide rates. Second, this study uses one of the largest and most recent data sets of any study on this topic. Third, this study uses the synthetic control method, an empirical technique that has not been previously used to study this topic. Results are mixed. For nine states, introduction of CAP laws resulted in lower youth firearm suicide rates. In thirteen states, however, CAP laws had no significant effects on youth firearm suicide rates. Hence, CAP laws did not have statistically significant effects on youth firearm suicide rates for most of the states examined. Given these inconclusive results, more research is warranted in this area.