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In comparison with other countries, the ] has a much higher ] rate than other developed countries, whereas rates of property crime and other types of crime are comparable.<ref name="statcan"/><ref name="cfc"/><ref name="fingerhut"/> In comparison with other countries, the ] has a much higher ] rate than other developed countries, whereas rates of property crime and other types of crime are comparable.<ref name="statcan"/><ref name="cfc"/><ref name="fingerhut"/>


Some have argued that correlation between homicide and gun ownership is due to people purchasing guns for self protection, in response to increases in crime.<ref name="kleck-1991">{{cite book |title=Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America |author=Kleck, Gary |date=1991 |publisher=Aldine de Gruyter |id=ISBN 0202304191}}</ref><ref name="kleck-1993">{{cite journal |title=The Impact of Gun Control and Gun Ownership Levels on Violence Rates |author=Kleck, Gary, E. Britt Patterson |journal=Journal of Quantitative Criminology |volume=9(3) |pages=pp. 249-287}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=The Incidence of Defensive Firearm Use by US Crime Victims, 1987 through 1990 |author=McDowall, David, Brian Wiersema |journal=American Journal of Public Health |date=1994 |volume=84 |pages=pp. 1982-1984}}</ref> However, the correlation between homicide and gun ownership only holds for homicides committed using firearms, and not for nongun homicides.<ref name="duggan"/> From 1993 to 1998, the number of homicides committed with firearms declined by 36%, whereas the number of nongun homicides declined by 18%.<ref name="duggan"/> During the same period, the number of households owning guns declined by 17%.<ref name="duggan"/> This indicates that levels of gun ownership account for one-third of changes seen in homicide rates.<ref name="duggan"/> Some have argued that correlation between homicide and gun ownership is due to people purchasing guns for self protection, in response to increases in crime.<ref name="kleck-1991">{{cite book |title=Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America |author=Kleck, Gary |date=1991 |publisher=Aldine de Gruyter |id=ISBN 0202304191}}</ref><ref name="kleck-1993">{{cite journal |title=The Impact of Gun Control and Gun Ownership Levels on Violence Rates |author=Kleck, Gary, E. Britt Patterson |journal=Journal of Quantitative Criminology |volume=9(3) |pages=pp. 249-287}}</ref><ref name="mcdowell">{{cite journal |title=The Incidence of Defensive Firearm Use by US Crime Victims, 1987 through 1990 |author=McDowall, David, Brian Wiersema |journal=American Journal of Public Health |date=1994 |volume=84 |pages=pp. 1982-1984}}</ref> However, the correlation between homicide and gun ownership only holds for homicides committed using firearms, and not for nongun homicides.<ref name="duggan"/> From 1993 to 1998, the number of homicides committed with firearms declined by 36%, whereas the number of nongun homicides declined by 18%.<ref name="duggan"/> During the same period, the number of households owning guns declined by 17%.<ref name="duggan"/> This indicates that levels of gun ownership account for one-third of changes seen in homicide rates.<ref name="duggan"/>


===Youth violence=== ===Youth violence===

Revision as of 20:47, 6 November 2006

Gun violence, especially related to youth ownership of guns and related gang activity, is great public concern in the United States. Research has shown that changes in gun ownership are significantly correlated with homicide rates, with such relationships not seen with other types of crime. In comparison with other countries, the United States has a much higher homicide rate than other developed countries, whereas rates of property crime and other types of crime are comparable. In 2005, 68% of the 14,860 homicides in the United States were committed with a firearm. Many more suffer non-fatal gunshot wounds, with approximately 48,000 gunshot injuries in the United States during 2000. Firearms were also used in 16,907 suicides in the United States during 2004, with a significant association between household firearm ownership and gun suicide rates.

Homicide rates

In 2005, 75% of the 10,100 homicides committed using firearms in the United States were committed using handguns, compared to 4% with rifles, 5% with shotguns, and the rest with type not specified. Research has shown that changes in gun ownership are significantly correlated with homicide rates, with such relationships not seen with other types of crime.

In comparison with other countries, the United States has a much higher homicide rate than other developed countries, whereas rates of property crime and other types of crime are comparable.

Some have argued that correlation between homicide and gun ownership is due to people purchasing guns for self protection, in response to increases in crime. However, the correlation between homicide and gun ownership only holds for homicides committed using firearms, and not for nongun homicides. From 1993 to 1998, the number of homicides committed with firearms declined by 36%, whereas the number of nongun homicides declined by 18%. During the same period, the number of households owning guns declined by 17%. This indicates that levels of gun ownership account for one-third of changes seen in homicide rates.

Youth violence

With 17% of deaths in 2002 caused by firearms for those ages 15-19 in the United States, firearms were the second leading cause of death for this age group after motor vehicle accidents. In Rochester, New York, 22% of young males have carried an illegal gun, though most for only a short period of time. There is little overlap between legal gun ownership and illegal gun carrying among youths. Those youths in a gang, and those involved in drug selling, are much more likely to carry illegal guns.

Suicide

Research also shows an association between household firearm ownership and gun suicide rates.

Violence prevention programs

Violence prevention programs have been established in many schools in the United States. Empirical evaluation of these programs has been limited.

Intervention programs

Intervention programs, such as Operation Ceasefire in Boston and Project Exile in Richmond, Virginia during the 1990s, have shown to be effective.

Gun ownership

The General Social Survey (GSS) is the primary source for data on firearm ownership. In 2004, 36.5% of Americans had a gun in their home, which is down from 46% in 1989. In the United States, 11% of households partake in hunting, with the remaining firearm owners having guns for self protection and other reasons. In 2004, gun ownership in the home figures break down to 20% with a pistol, 19% with a shotgun, and 20% with a rifle. Throughout the 1970s and much of the 1980s, the level of gun ownership in the home ranged from 45-50%. Gun ownership also varies across geographic regions, with 25% ownership in the Northeastern United States to 60% in the East South Central States.

Gun control laws

Gun control proponents often cite the relatively high number of homicides committed with firearms as reason to support stricter gun control laws. Gun control laws are subject of great debate in the United States, with firearms also widely used for recreational purposes, and for personal protection. Gun control opponents cite the use of firearms for self protection and deterrent as a reason why more guns can reduce crime. Gun control opponents also point out that criminals are the least likely to obey firearms laws, and that limiting access to guns by law abiding people makes them more vulnerable to crime.

Firearms market

Policy that is targeted at the supply-side of the firearms market is based on speculation, as research has yet to answer such questions.

Right-to-carry

Laws that permit persons to carry concealed handguns exist in 34 states in the United States. Some have argued that right-to-carry laws create a perception that more potential victims might be carrying firearms, and thus serve as deterrent for crime. There is no evidence that counties with increased gun ownership experienced larger decreases in crime than counties with low levels of gun ownership. The passage of laws permitting carrying of concealed weapons has not led to increases in gun ownership. The National Academy of Science has found no credible evidence that shows right-to-carry laws have an impact, either way, on rates of violent crime.

Other laws

Other laws intended to address gun violence concerns include the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act passed in 1993, which requires a waiting period before the purchase of a handgun. The Brady Act also required a national instant criminal background check system to be established, with checks done by firearms dealers.

Public opinion

The GSS found that 81.3% of Americans were supportive of gun permit laws in 2004, and 72.4% supported more restrictions on handguns. Support for gun permit laws rose significantly from 73.3% in 1987 to 80.1% in 1990.

Research limitations

In the United States, research into firearms and violent crime is fraught with difficulties, associated with limited data on gun ownership and use, firearms markets, and aggregation of crime data.

Research studies into gun violence have primarily taken one of two approaches: case-control studies and social ecology.

References

  1. Bjerregaard, Beth, Alan J. Lizotte (1995). "Gun Ownership and Gang Membership". Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. 86(1): pp. 37-58. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Duggan, Mark (2001). "More Guns, More Crime". Journal of Political Economy. 109(5): 1086–1114.
  3. ^ "Crime comparisons between Canada and the United States". Statistics Canada.
  4. ^ "Firearm Crimes, Canada Vs. U.S." Canada Firearms Centre.
  5. ^ Fingerhut, L.A., J. C. Kleinman (1990). "International and interstate comparisons of homicide among young males". Journal of the American Medical Association. 263(24).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "Expanded Homicide Data Table 6 - Murder, Types of Weapons Used Percent Distribution within Region, 2005". Federal Bureau of Investigation.
  7. Committee on Law and Justice (2004). "Chapter 1". Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review. National Academy of Science.
  8. "Self-inflicted Injury/Suicide". National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
  9. ^ Committee on Law and Justice (2004). "Executive Summary". Firearms and Violence: A Critical Review. National Academy of Science.
  10. "Expanded Homicide Data Table 7 - Murder Victims by Weapon, 2001-2005". Federal Bureau of Investigation.
  11. Kleck, Gary (1991). Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America. Aldine de Gruyter. ISBN 0202304191.
  12. Kleck, Gary, E. Britt Patterson. "The Impact of Gun Control and Gun Ownership Levels on Violence Rates". Journal of Quantitative Criminology. 9(3): pp. 249-287. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ McDowall, David, Brian Wiersema (1994). "The Incidence of Defensive Firearm Use by US Crime Victims, 1987 through 1990". American Journal of Public Health. 84: pp. 1982-1984. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. "America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2005 - Adolescent Mortality". 2006 Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics.
  15. ^ Lizotte, Alan J., Gregory J. Howard, Marvin D. Krohn, Terence P. Thornberry (1997). "Patterns of Illegal Gun Carrying Among Urban Young Males". Valparaiso University Law Review. 31(2).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ General Social Survey. "GSS Cumulative Data Set (1972-2004)".
  17. Azrael, Deborah, Philip J. Cook, Matthew Miller (2004). "State and Local Prevalence of Firearms Ownership Measurement, Structure, and Trends". Journal of Quantitative Criminology. 20(1): pp. 43-62. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. Kassirer, Jerome P. (1991). "Firearms and the killing threshold. (Editorial)". New England Journal of Medicine. 325(23): pp. 1647-1651. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  19. Baker, James Jay (July 1992). "Second amendment message in Los Angeles". American Riflemen: pp. 32-34. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  20. Lott, Jr., John R., David B. Mustard (1997). "Crime, Deterrence, and Right-to-Carry Concealed Handguns". Journal of Legal Studies. 26(1): pp. 1-68. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. "Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act" (PDF). Congress of the United States / Government Printing Office.

Further reading

  • Cook, P. J., Ludwig, J. (2002). "Litigation as regulation: The case of firearms". In Viscusi, W. K. (ed.). Regulation through Litigation. Brookings Institution. ISBN 081570609X.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Wright, James, Joseph Sheley (1995). In the Line of Fire: Youth, Guns, and Violence in Urban America. Aldine Transaction. ISBN 0202305481.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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