Publications [#47445] of Philip J. Cook

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Journal Articles

  1. PJ Cook, S Molliconi, and T Cole. "Regulating Gun Markets." Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology 86.1 (1995): 59-92. [online]
    (last updated on 2006/11/21)

    Abstract:
    The article explores issues relating to the secondary gun market in the U.S. Guns are used in two-thirds of criminal homicides, and over 80 percent of male homicide victims aged fifteen to twenty-four die of gunshot wounds. Many delinquent youths are active in the gun market as both buyers and sellers, and they acquire guns by borrowing and stealing them. One objective of the federal gun control law is to insulate states so that stringent regulations on firearms commerce adopted in some states will not be undercut by greater availability of guns in other states. As of 1993, a majority of states require that handgun buyers submit to a waiting period and a criminal record check before taking possession of a handgun. The secondary market is diverse, similar to the secondary market for motor vehicles. Word-of-mouth advertising is apparently an effective means for finding a buyer on the street, and some people, often drug dealers, deal in guns frequently enough to become known in this regard. To compete, secondary sellers have to offer lower prices, both because guns sold in the secondary market are used and of uncertain quality and because shopping in the secondary market is inconvenient.

Philip J. Cook