D. Mcdowall et al., USING QUASI-EXPERIMENTS TO EVALUATE FIREARM LAWS - COMMENT ON BRITT-ET-AL REASSESSMENT OF THE DC GUN LAW, Law & society review, 30(2), 1996, pp. 381-391
The strength of research designs is relative. Compared with true exper
iments, quasi-experimental designs are weak. Compared with cross-secti
onal designs, they are strong. One can further strengthen inferences f
rom quasi-experiments by examining a broader pattern of data. We agree
with Britt, Kleck, and Bordua when they recommend that researchers ex
pand the range of inquiry. We disagree with them when they recommend t
hat researchers restrict it. The District of Columbia study is largely
consistent with the available evidence, but it does not prove that re
strictive handgun licensing will always reduce firearm deaths.