Australia’s 1996 gun law Reforms: Faster Falls in Firearm Deaths, Firearm Suicides, and a Decade Without Mass Shootings

This study examined whether Australia’s 1996 gun law reforms were associated with changes in rates of firearm deaths & whether there were any apparent method substitution effects for total homicides & suicides. In the 10.5 years after gun law reforms, there were no mass shootings. Declines in firearm-related deaths before the law reforms accelerated after the reforms for total firearm deaths, firearm suicides, firearm homicides but not for the the smallest category of unintentional firearm deaths, which increased. No evidence of method substitution was observed. (29 refs.)