The correlation between the current low gun crime rate and less control laws

[Billy000]

I've heard gun advocates make the claim that the reason why the gun crime rate in this country is low is because there is a lack of gun control laws. However, they purposely overlook the fact that the crime rate in general is low. Not just gun crime itself.

Do you believe there is causation between the lower crime rate and a current low number of gun control laws? If so, what is the evidence that makes this direct link?

 

[editec]

MASSIVE changes in societies like these seldom have one single causality.

The population is aging, that makes a difference, I suspect.

We have enormous numbers of people in prison, which also makes a difference, I suspect.

I don't think the number of guns in this nation really changes the outcome of property crimes.

 

[Old Rocks]

Compared to the other first world industrial nations, the number of people killed in the US each year by guns is orders of magnitudes greater. 32,000 is a big number. And it looks like by 2015 the number of gun deaths in the US will outnumber the auto deaths.

 

[Wildman]

less gun control laws, are you joking ? there are over 25,000 anti second amendment on the books across America, how many anti first amendment laws are there ? how about all the other anti Constitutional amendment laws are there ?

 

[M14 Shooter]

Compared to the other first world industrial nations, the number of people killed in the US each year by guns is orders of magnitudes greater.

This is a lie.

32,000 is a big number.

Not compared to 275,000,000

 

[westwall]

I've heard gun advocates make the claim that the reason why the gun crime rate in this country is low is because there is a lack of gun control laws. However, they purposely overlook the fact that the crime rate in general is low. Not just gun crime itself.

Do you believe there is causation between the lower crime rate and a current low number of gun control laws? If so, what is the evidence that makes this direct link?

You won't like to hear it but the best correlation as a predictor of violent crime is the number of blacks and hispanics in the countries involved. The more homogenous a country is (like Europe where the vast majority of the population is Caucasian) the less violent it is. The US has a very large population of non-Caucasian people compared to Europe and Canada.

When you look at the crime statistics in the US it is led by gang activity, which are predominantly black and hispanic. Here in northern Nevada the overwhelming majority of violent crime is gang related and while I will not make the generalization that our experience is representative of the whole country I would wager that in the major cities it is representative.



Current Worldwide Homicide/Murder Rate

 

[PratchettFan]

I've heard gun advocates make the claim that the reason why the gun crime rate in this country is low is because there is a lack of gun control laws. However, they purposely overlook the fact that the crime rate in general is low. Not just gun crime itself.

Do you believe there is causation between the lower crime rate and a current low number of gun control laws? If so, what is the evidence that makes this direct link?

I doubt there is any real corelation either way. Crime is not caused by available tools. There is no single cause.

However, if you plan on taking this in the direction of gun control, then you are going to have to show that any controls will have a real and positive impact. Otherwise, I am opposed on general principles.