The Complexities of 'Stand Your Ground' Laws and Their Implications.

Stand your ground laws, which have spread to around 30 states in the US since 2005, authorize defensive violence without a duty to retreat, wherever a person may legally be. However, research shows that they are not equitably enforced and may be emboldening property owners to shoot first and question their actions later, even when there is no real threat of harm. These laws intensify existing racial injustices in the US criminal legal system and encourage armed citizens to use force against any perceived threat, real or imagined, making even the most innocent mistakes and chance encounters potentially deadly.