To what extent do gun-laws versus other factors explain the differences in firearm mortality between states?

Map Showing Firearm Mortality Rate by State

- It clearly shows higher mortality concentrated in Southern states such as Mississippi and Louisiana. And Western states such as Montana and Alaska.

Gun Control Laws Map by State

- States with very strict laws (like California, New York) typically have lower firearm mortality rates.

Firearm Mortality Rate vs. Firearm Laws

- It shows more firearm laws correlate with lower firearm mortality.(But the trend is weak, that laws alone do not explain the whole picture)

Firearm Mortality Rate vs. Gun Ownership Percentage

- Higher gun ownership clearly linked to higher firearm mortality.

Gun Ownership Percentage

- Northeast states like Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho have gun ownership rate up to 66% and they are followed by southern states such as Mississippi and Louisiana have gun ownership rates as high as 55%.

Firearm Suicide Rate by State

- Northwestern states, which have higher gun ownership rates, also tend to have higher suicide rates. These states have more relaxed gun laws.

- Surprisingly, Mississippi and Louisiana have relatively low suicide rates despite their high gun ownership.

Firearm Homicide Rate by State

- Southern states like Mississippi and Louisiana have higher homicide rate, surprisingly they are follow by Illinois, New York, Maryland, and California.

Conclusion

• States with stricter gun laws consistently show lower firearm mortality rates. However, gun laws alone don’t tell the whole story, higher gun ownership may be the cultural factor.

• While higher gun ownership is strongly linked to increased firearm mortality, but the relationship varies across different types of gun related deaths. In northwestern states, higher gun ownership is associated with higher suicide rates, whereas in southern states, it is linked to higher homicide rates.