PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Cheng Cheng AU - Mark Hoekstra TI - Does Strengthening Self-Defense Law Deter Crime or Escalate Violence? AID - 10.3368/jhr.48.3.821 DP - 2013 Jul 01 TA - Journal of Human Resources PG - 821--854 VI - 48 IP - 3 4099 - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/48/3/821.short 4100 - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/48/3/821.full SO - J Hum Resour2013 Jul 01; 48 AB - From 2000 to 2010, more than 20 states passed so-called “Castle Doctrine” or “stand your ground” laws. These laws expand the legal justification for the use of lethal force in self-defense, thereby lowering the expected cost of using lethal force and increasing the expected cost of committing violent crime. This paper exploits the within-state variation in self-defense law to examine their effect on homicides and violent crime. Results indicate the laws do not deter burglary, robbery, or aggravated assault. In contrast, they lead to a statistically significant 8 percent net increase in the number of reported murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.