A Big Data Perspective on the Relationship between Firearm Laws and Mass Shootings: Data Visualization Approach

Abstract: To examine the relationship between state-level firearm laws and number of mass shooting incidents, we took a data visualization approach. First, a dataset was compiled from multiple sources. Descriptive analysis was represented using a series of data visualizations. We focused on effects of state firearm laws and derived a comprehensive scorecard. Based on the new metric, areas for improvement were identified. Further analysis of a subset of data showed a modest correlation of state-level laws and the number of mass shootings in a state, though not significant. It is a testimony that gun control is a complex issue and firearm laws’ effects on mass shooting is not straightforward. The value of data visualization as a research method is shown in a situation of less consensus, such as effects of gun control regulation.

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Authors: Yi Maggie Guo, Barbara D. Klein, Nesreen El-Rayes