Deterrence and guns

Within the last several years there has been a movement, ostensible spear-headed by pro-gun lobbyists, to remove the "duty to retreat" requirement placed on individuals confronted with deadly threats. Florida first passed stand-your-ground legislation in 2005, and has since been followed by at least 12 other states. Policy advocates claim that such a legal change should decrease crime, as a crime victims will no longer be legally encumbered by the duty to retreat. This study examines the reason why states adopted such legislation and the relationship between this legislation and crime. I find that stand-your-ground legislation is associated primarily with southern states and republican governors, and that such legislation does not significantly affect either violent crime or property crime rates in large U.S. cities.