No, it’s not that simple. When policy changes overlap with changes in gun violence, we merely have evidence of correlation, not causation. It may be the case that some other changes (e.g., increased funding, innovative programming, changes in policing strategies, population changes, etc.) simultaneously occurred, and these could also play a role in driving increases or decreases in gun violence. Without scientific testing and statistical control for other variables, it is not accurate to claim that policy change alone was responsible for the changes in gun deaths. To compare the strength of state gun laws, track trends over time, and identify gaps in the gun laws in your state, check out the Gun Law Navigator. It is the largest historical database of modern U.S. gun laws, drawing on Everytown for Gun Safety’s survey of state gun laws back to 1991.