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Congressional Study: Murder Rate Nearly Halved from 1994 as Gun Ownership Soared

Discussion in 'News & Current Events' started by Revmitchell, Dec 4, 2013.

  1. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    A Congressional Research Service (CRS) report shows that while gun ownership climbed from 192 million firearms in 1994 to 310 million firearms in 2009, crime fell—and fell sharply.

    According to the report, the "firearm-related murder and non-negligent homicide" rate was 6.6 per 100,000 Americans in 1993. Following the exponential growth in the number of guns, that rate fell to 3.6 per 100,000 in 2000.

    This rate rose from 2004 to 2005 and got as high as 3.9 in 2006 and 2007, but it then resumed falling in 2008, the year the Supreme Court ruled in District of Columbia v. Heller that individual firearm possession is Constitutionally protected—particularly for self-defense. This figure fell to 3.2 per 100,000 by 2011.

    In other words, as the number of firearms almost doubled over a nearly 20-year period, the "firearm-related murder and non-negligent homicide" rate was more than halved.

    http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Govern...ssional-Research-Service-More-Guns-Less-Crime
     
  2. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    Yes, that is called a correlation, and not necessarily causation. This is not comprehensive research as there could be other factors involved in the decline in the murder rate. For example, the incarceration rate and length of stay in prison went up dramatically in the late 80's and throughout the 90's and 2000's. There was also Rudi Guiliani's crime clean up of New York City, the murder capital of the U.S. involving increased law enforcement officers, aggressive prosecution, etc. This strategy was emulated in big cities across the country.

    So it is likely that gun ownership was a factor in the decline of the murder rate but it cannot be said it was the only factor, or even say it was the main factor. You should also know that gun control advocates will say that the assault rifle ban which coincidentally was enacted in 1994 (the endpoint of the study you cite) is the main factor in the decline of crime. (I am not one of those people so don't even play the Liberal card on me.)

    I would also point out that if the authors are going to take liberty with mathematics by calling a 61.4% increase in ownership of guns to be "almost doubled" it is going to cast doubt on their entire research project.
     
    #2 InTheLight, Dec 4, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 4, 2013
  3. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    Murder is only one type of violent crime. Also the murder rate in the US is nothing to be proud of as it is high compared to other countries.

    The lowering of the crime rate may reflect that the population is getting older.

    Let us hope and pray the decline continues.


     
  4. thisnumbersdisconnected

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    One more subject on which you have pontificated but which reality proves you know nothing about.

    Translation: Other than in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the United States isn't even on the radar. When are you going to learn to stop repeating socialist propaganda on this board? We are going to prove you uninformed, biased and ignorant of reality every time.
     
  5. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    I should have put developed countries and I still say it is nothing to be proud of.

    [​IMG]

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...ed-killings-than-any-other-developed-country/

     
  6. just-want-peace

    just-want-peace Well-Known Member
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    Don't really see the point of being so specific, "gun related murders", as opposed to just plain "murders".
    Is death by gun somehow (other than in the mind of a liberal) more tragic, or more painful, or more -- whatever -- than death by ANY other means???

    Also does this chart take into account the difference in defensive deaths and actual MURDER; or even accidental deaths???
     
  7. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    The article from which the graph came says 'murders'. I do not believe there is such a thing as "defensive murder", but then I am not a lawyer.

     
  8. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    When you take into account the far left wing tries to say that more guns means more murders then we can see the need for a study like this. It shows the far left extreme is wrong.
     
  9. thisnumbersdisconnected

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    Your chart shows the murder rate in the U.S. is less than half the rate for the entire world. Epic fail. Your hatred of the U.S. and your efforts to discredit it as a viable power with a rightful place in the world as an adjudicator and peacemaker disgust me.
     
  10. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    But still the highest on the chart.
     
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