No Correlation Between Firearms per Capita and Homicide Rates

AmmoLand ^ | October 31, 2024 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

A linchpin of the argument of those who favor a disarmed population is the assumption that “More Guns = More Crime.” It was succinctly stated as an assumption in a recent paper. Psychopathy, Gun Carrying, and Firearm Violence:

Carrying guns increases the risk of injury and death…

This is a hotly disputed assumption. Several papers dispute the premise. If carrying guns does not increase the risk of injury and death, the pragmatic argument for strict restrictions on gun ownership and use collapses. There is some evidence that if guns are restricted in a draconian manner, homicides with guns may be reduced. However, the total number of homicides is not reduced by gun control.

If the substitution of other methods results in the same or more homicides, or if firearms are used to prevent homicides as well as facilitate them, the argument for restricting gun ownership is not viable.

Long-term data to test the premise is available. There is FBI data on homicide rates in the United States going back to 1910. Homicides are the most reliable crime figure because there is a body and an investigation. There is fairly good data on the number of firearms that are privately owned in the United States. If more guns equals more crime, an increase in per capita firearms ownership should be correlated with the homicide rate.

The number of cartridge firearms in the USA has not been calculated for dates before 1945. This was before records were commonly available. Serial numbers on firearms were generally not required before 1968. Firearms first sold to the military, then later sold as surplus, are not included in these numbers, nor are firearms made for personal use. Semi-automatic, bolt action, and single-shot rifles, revolvers, and semi-automatic pistols sold as military surplus could number

[Brellium]

Hogwash, anyone who follows firearms and firearm safety knows that higher firearms per capita results in higher firearm homicides and this can be shown in country by county comparisons.

The primary reason higher access to firearms drives more firearm homicides is suicide. In the US around 70% of gun homicides are either suicides or 'accidental discharges'.

These statistics are all over this board. When the media portrays gun violence they use the mainline or top number to drive emotion and fear, when most deaths via guns are someone using it to kill themselves or some slop deciding to clean their gun while drunk.

[marktwain]

Suicides are not generally considered homicides. They are a separate category, suicides, hence the separate term.

The left has tried to muddy this with the Orwellian term "gun violence". Fatal gun violence includes suicides, homicides and fatal accidents.

[Qwapisking]

“a gun is only dangerous when the wrong nut is connected to the trigger” L.Star. or when the wrong nut is drunk.

[bobbo666]

Bullshite! An armed populace is a polite one. Plus, confused muggers starve to death.

Go look at guns vs homicide in other countries. All are inversely proportional.

[MosesKnows]

An armed society is a polite society.

The best way to preserve peace is to prepare for war.

[PROCON]

RKBA Ping List

This Ping List is for all news pertaining to infringes upon or victories for the 2nd Amendment.

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or deleted from this Ping List.

More 2nd Amendment related articles on FR's Bang List.