Firearm Lethality in Drug Market Contexts
Institution: | University of Central Florida |
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Department: | |
Degree: | PhD |
Year: | 2013 |
Keywords: | Dissertations, Academic – Sciences; Sciences – Dissertations, Academic; Lethality; drug market; firearms; firearm; gun; guns; gun availability; homicide; social disorganization; routine activity theory |
Record ID: | 1995630 |
Full text PDF: | http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/5815 |
The current study examines firearms' impact on the relationship between illegal drug markets and homicide. At the county-level, Iowa and Virginia are analyzed using crime data from the National Incident Based Reporting System. More specifically, gun availability is tested as a mediator for county drug crime rates and homicide counts. Variable selection and prediction is based on routine activity and social disorganization theories. I argue that social disorganization allows the context for which criminal opportunity presents itself through routine activities. I posit gun availability mediates a positive relationship between illegal drug markets and homicide, with differences between urban and rural communities.