General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Discredited Nonsense That Gave America The ‘More Guns, Less Crime’ Myth
....................
Indeed, research by Yale law professor Ian Ayres and Stanford law professor John Donahue corroborates this insight that the more guns, less crime hypothesis only stands up if you apply it to a limited time frame. Lott and Mustards original study only examined data from 1977 through 1992. Ayres and Donahue examined data from the late 1990s, after the wave of crack-related violence began to ebb, and found that crime dropped dramatically in urban areas without permissive carry laws. They conclude that no longer can any plausible case be made on statistical grounds that shall-issue laws are likely to reduce crime for all or even most states and, indeed, their research suggests that permissive carry laws may increase crime rates.
So What Does The Data Really Show?
Even if Lotts research is difficult to trust, the real answer to the question do more guns lead to more crime is surprisingly hard to determine. This is due, in no small part, to the fact that federal law imposes strict limits on federally-funded research into the causes of gun violence.
The data that does exist, however, suggests that Lott isnt simply wrong, but that the opposite of his conclusions are actually true. Although the 2004 National Research Council report found that there is insufficient evidence to determine the impact of carry laws on crime, a subsequent study by Stanford researchers determined that right-to-carry gun laws are linked to an increase in violent crime. This study indicates that right-to-carry laws increase the rate of aggravated assault by 8 percent. Though it also suggests that such laws are associated with an increase in rape and robbery, this evidence for this claim is less strong.
Similarly, a 2013 report by the Center for American Progress found a strong correlation between lax gun laws and more gun violence. According to that report, the 10 states with the weakest gun laws collectively have a level of gun violence that is more than twice as high 104 percent higher than the 10 states with the strongest gun laws.
More guns, in other words, lead to more crime.
Way more, plus links:
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/06/13/3787491/discredited-nonsense-gave-america-guns-less-crime-myth/
Aerows
(39,961 posts)HassleCat
(6,409 posts)Be careful here. The right to carry guns is not the same as "more guns." Let's use careful arguments and critical examination.
Aerows
(39,961 posts)Nobody needs to carry a hand gun. Do you have a stick to bash them in the head if you need to defend yourself? Use a stun gun, pepper spray and take a few Tae Kwon Do classes.
I know that argument I just lodged sounds pretty stupid, yet when it comes right down to it, guns in our society are a plague.
Disclosure: I was taught how to use a fire arm. There are people that use hunting to provide meat on the table.
That said, do we need, in society, guns that can be loaded with 100 rounds? Guns don't scare me. Irresponsible handling of guns scares the shit out of me.
hack89
(39,171 posts)that stick, pepper spray or fancy ninja moves may not do the trick.
Aerows
(39,961 posts)and I shot and killed somebody that I misinterpreted their cues?
FFS, I *KNOW* how to shoot a gun, but I goddamn well don't need to tote one around to defend myself.
hack89
(39,171 posts)Choice is good, right?
Most Right-Wing gun nuts have self-aggrandizing fantasies of being the "good guy with a gun" hero. These idiots are putting everyone's lives in danger to feed their fragile egos.
Aerows
(39,961 posts)How could you possibly defend yourself without a gun?
I've functioned just fine, don't get into confrontations if I can avoid them, and well, I'm extremely handy with the plethora of tools I need.
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)Putting guns into places previously prohibited by law = more guns.
jmg257
(11,996 posts)10 million background checks in 1999.
8.5 million in 2000
14 million in 2009
21 million in 2013
21 million in 2014.
Violent Crimes:
1998: 1,533,887
1999: 1,430,693
2009: 1,318,398
2013: 1,163,146
2014: 1,165,383
I would say a DRASTIC decrease in the number of guns would lead to a noticeable drop in gun violence, but overall, crime rates and the number of guns don't seem all that much related.
I am not sure people who want to carry concealed do so to reduce crime rates, just to reduce crimes against themselves.
Protalker
(418 posts)They would not support limited clips. Blood on all their members who support the top people hands.