Stand-your-ground laws, now in effect in more than half of U.S. states, contribute to higher homicide rates and increased racial disparities in legal outcomes. These laws remove the requirement to retreat in self-defense situations and have roots in the castle doctrine. The first such law was passed in Florida in 2005, attracting attention after the Trayvon Martin shooting in 2012. Research indicates an increase in homicide rates between 8% and 11%, with Southern states seeing significant rises, highlighting the broader implications of these legislations on public safety and equity.
Stand-your-ground laws, effective in over half of U.S. states, are linked to increased homicide rates, racial outcomes disparity, and greater public costs.
These laws eliminate the obligation to retreat before using lethal force in self-defense, expanding from the traditional castle doctrine to public areas.
Florida's enactment of the first stand-your-ground law in 2005 had significant implications, particularly highlighted by the Trayvon Martin shooting in 2012.
A study in JAMA Network indicated an 8% to 11% rise in monthly homicide rates linked to these laws, particularly notable in several Southern states.
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