Gun Shows Don't Kill People….

…says a new study from academics from the Universities of Michigan and Maryland. The press release:

The researchers analyzed data from Texas and California, chosen because they are the nation's two most populated states, have large numbers of gun shows, and are at opposite ends of the spectrum regarding gun show regulation. California has some of the most aggressive gun show regulations, including background checks for all gun show purchasers and a 10-day waiting period to obtain the firearm. Texas has no similar regulations.

Data came from the dates and locations of more than 3,400 gun shows, and firearm-related deaths from 1994 to 2004. More than 105,000 homicides and suicides were reported in the two states during the 11-year period.

To determine the impact of gun shows, the authors traced the number of gun-related deaths in ZIP codes close to where gun shows took place, looking at how the number of deaths changed leading up to and following the shows. Researchers looked at the gun-related deaths in the weeks immediately after gun shows and actually found a small decline in the number of homicides following shows in Texas.

"The absence of gun show regulations does not increase the number of gun-related deaths as proponents of these regulations suggest," said [Brian] Jacob, [a professor at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and] director of its Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP).

The press release has a link to a .pdf of the full study as well; I'm not linking it here directly, because, for reasons specific to some Adobe problems I'm having today, attempting to re-open that document has been making my Firefox crash.

Hat tip: Ryan Posly.