Firearm Availability, Homicide, and the Context of Structural Disadvantage

Semenza, Daniel C.; Stansfield, Richard; Steidley, Trent; Mancik, Ashley M.

doi:10.1177/10887679211043806

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…When problems reach the magnitude that a youth perceives them to be troublesome, then significant effects can be seen as an adjoining risk of having access to illicit handguns that may further contribute to violent behavior as discussed previously (Chapman et al, 2006; Rozel & Mulvey, 2017; Siegel et al, 2013; see also Tolan et al, 2003). This is in concert with recent research finding that, “One of the most important community factors to consider regarding the association between firearm availability and violent crime is the context of economic disadvantage” (Semenza et al, 2021, p. 5). Thus, illegal and legal firearm availability may contribute disproportionately to greater gun violence in disadvantaged areas (Semenza et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

“…This is in concert with recent research finding that, "One of the most important community factors to consider regarding the association between firearm availability and violent crime is the context of economic disadvantage" (Semenza et al, 2021, p. 5). Thus, illegal and legal firearm availability may contribute disproportionately to greater gun violence in disadvantaged areas (Semenza et al, 2021). These data suggest that youth in communities with markers of economic poverty and social disorder are more apt to have access to stolen handguns, while these characteristics also contribute to youth involved in a disproportionate amount of violent gun crime.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…The final two microlevel controls address a youth's perception of their neighborhood environment. Gun crime and violence, which are linked ostensibly to gun access, are disproportionately connected with neighborhood features that imply economic and structural disadvantage (Semenza et al, 2021). Thus, it is sensible to assume that such communities are associated with high levels of illicit gun access, which should trickle down to the resident youth.…”

Section: Microlevel Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Youth Access to Stolen Handguns

Flexon

D’Alessio

Stolzenberg

et al. 2022

Crime & Delinquency

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Youth with access to illicit handguns have an enhanced proclivity to engage in armed criminal violence and self-harm. While theft has been identified as a pathway for youth to gain access to handguns, little is known about whether and to what extent stolen guns represent a viable channel toward putting youth and others at risk. To evaluate this, several data sources and methods are used to evaluate whether handgun thefts occurring within proximity to a school predict self-reported ease of handgun acquisition among young people. Multilevel results fail to show any relationship between the availability of stolen handguns, measured in three different ways, and middle and high school youths’ self-reported access to handguns. Microlevel characteristics are predictive of gun access among youth.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Microlevel Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Youth Access to Stolen Handguns

Flexon

D’Alessio

Stolzenberg

et al. 2022

Crime & Delinquency

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“…Several studies have evaluated community firearm dealer density in relation to firearm homicide by studying Federal Firearms Licenses, with inconsistent findings. 4–11 However, these data lack precision, as businesses with Federal Firearms Licenses may sell firearms infrequently and may open or close any time during the license period.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Community-Level Risk Factors for Firearm Assault and Homicide: The Role of Local Firearm Dealers and Alcohol Outlets

Pear,

Wintemute,

Jewell

et al. 2023

Epidemiology

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Background: Identifying community characteristics associated with firearm assault could facilitate prevention. We investigated the effect of community firearm dealer and alcohol outlet densities on individual risk of firearm assault injury. Methods: In this density-sampled case–control study of Californians, January 2005 - September 2015, cases comprised all residents with a fatal or nonfatal firearm assault injury. We sampled controls monthly from the state population, 4:1 with cases. Exposures were monthly densities of county-level pawn and non-pawn firearm dealers and ZIP code-level off-premises alcohol outlets and bars and pubs (“bars/pubs”). We used case–control-weighted g-computation to estimate risk differences (RD) statewide and among younger Black men, comparing observed exposure densities to hypothetical interventions setting these densities to low. We estimated additive interactions between firearm and alcohol retailer density. Secondary analyses examined interventions targeted to high exposure density or outcome burden areas. Results: There were 67,850 cases and 268,122 controls. Observed (vs. low) densities of pawn firearm dealers and off-premises alcohol outlets were individually associated with elevated monthly risk of firearm assault per 100,000 people (RDpawn dealers: 0.06, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.08; RDoff-premises outlets: 0.01, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.03), but non-pawn firearm dealer and bar/pub density were not; models targeting only areas with the highest outcome burden were similar. Among younger Black men, estimates were larger. There was no interaction between firearm and alcohol retailer density. Conclusions: Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that limiting pawn firearm dealer and off-premises alcohol outlet densities can reduce interpersonal firearm violence.

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“…Building on the work of firearm availability scholars (Braga, Papachristos, and Hureau 2010; Braga et al 2012; Cook 2018a; Zimring 1968), it is plausible that gun stores increase the local availability of firearms, heightening the likelihood that shootings will occur in surrounding areas. Although past research in this area has been largely correlational, the concentration of gun dealers corresponds to rates of firearm violence at multiple levels of the social ecology including counties (Semenza, Stansfield, and Link 2020; Wiebe et al 2009), zip codes (Matthay et al 2021), cities (Kleck and Patterson 1993; Semenza et al 2021), neighborhoods (Steidley, Ramey, and Shrider 2017), and individual retailers (Wintemute, Cook, and Wright 2005). Yet despite this body of work, no research has examined how gun stores relate to violence in highly localized micro-spaces.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Firearm Dealers and Local Gun Violence: A Street Network Analysis of Shootings and Concentrated Disadvantage in Atlanta

Semenza

Griffiths

et al. 2022

Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency

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Objectives Examine the spatial relationship between firearm dealers and shootings in Atlanta. Methods We combine data from the Atlanta Police Department (APD), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the American Community Survey (ACS) to conduct a street network analysis from 2016 through 2018. We employ the Network Cross K Function to assess whether firearm dealers attract shootings in the city. We examine whether this spatial relationship differs by level of concentrated disadvantage in neighborhoods. Results Without consideration of concentrated neighborhood disadvantage, firearm dealers and shootings are spatially unrelated to one another. Tract-level disadvantage influences the relationship between firearm dealers and shootings wherein dealers significantly attract shootings in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Conversely, shootings are located further from gun stores in non-disadvantaged communities. Shootings related to manslaughter and assault, but not robbery, are spatially associated with firearm dealers in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Conclusions Building on prior research regarding firearm dealers and gun violence, we find support for an attraction effect in disadvantaged neighborhoods for certain types of shootings. We contextualize these findings within a broader discussion of how firearm dealers contribute to the complex ecology of local gun violence. This is important in light of federal policies and investments related to the prevention of and response to gun crime.

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Firearm Availability, Homicide, and the Context of Structural Disadvantage

Cited by 14 publications

References 59 publications

Youth Access to Stolen Handguns

Youth Access to Stolen Handguns

Community-Level Risk Factors for Firearm Assault and Homicide: The Role of Local Firearm Dealers and Alcohol Outlets

Firearm Dealers and Local Gun Violence: A Street Network Analysis of Shootings and Concentrated Disadvantage in Atlanta

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