Since usually when a mass shooting happens in the U.S. there’s usually a debate whether we should completely ban guns or how much restrictions there should be. So, I wanted to create this section to mainly focus on guns and have people debate this out. And bring some information I found. Should guns be banned? Or should guns be available and we should instead focus on having better restrictions and focus on people's mental health?
Gun control should not be an idealogical debate, it should be an empirical one. And the empirical question should be, does gun control increase or reduce violence.
Gun control should not be an idealogical debate, it should be an empirical one. And the empirical question should be, does gun control increase or reduce violence.
- In England murder rates rose after gun restrictions. And in England robbery and burglary surpassed the United States. Britains burglary rate is almost twice as high as the U.S.
- 40% of burglaries in Britain, Canada, and the Netherlands is when the home is occupied. In the United States its only 13%. All three of the latter countries have lower gun ownership.
- Murder rates went up in England under severe gun control, while murder rates went down as more and more states in the U.S. allowed people to carry concealed weapons.
- Most guns used to murder were not legally purchased in England.
- After a school massacre, U.K. banned hand guns in 1998. A decade after hand gun crimes doubled.
- After Atlanta Suburbs of Kennesaw passed a law requiring heads of households to keep firearms in their homes burglaries dropped 89%.
- In 1954 in London there was a dozen armed robberies. By 1990’s it increased to 100 times as many.
- Switzerland has lower murder rates then Germany, but gun ownership with Swiss is 3 times higher. Israel, New Zealand, Finland all have high rates of gun ownership but low murder rates.
- In the United States, rural areas have higher rates of gun ownership and lower rates of murder. Whites have higher rates of gun ownership then Blacks but lower rates of murder. For the entire United States had hand gun ownership doubled in the late 20th century but overall murder rates went down.
United States always had a history of higher murder rates then England because of culture. So it has nothing to do with having or not having guns laws. New York has had a murder rate that was 5 times of London for two centuries. And for most of these two centuries neither of the two cities had gun control laws.
In 1911 New York made very strict gun control laws, but still had a higher murder rate than London during a time when guns were freely allowed in London. Gun control in England didn’t happen till a decade after New York restricted guns.
Making comparisons that England has a lower murder rate then the U.S. today and say it's because of gun control is not a fair example because U.S. always had higher homicides rates even when both countries had guns widely available. And after gun bans an increase in crime in England happened.
In 1911 New York made very strict gun control laws, but still had a higher murder rate than London during a time when guns were freely allowed in London. Gun control in England didn’t happen till a decade after New York restricted guns.
Making comparisons that England has a lower murder rate then the U.S. today and say it's because of gun control is not a fair example because U.S. always had higher homicides rates even when both countries had guns widely available. And after gun bans an increase in crime in England happened.
In U.S. legal changes reduced the fact the people committing a crime will go to jail. After this change crime skyrocketed. In 1974 it was twice as high then in 1961. From 1960 to 1976 people becoming victims of a violent crime tippled. Crime peaked in 1980’s then went down as incarceration went up.
Same happened in Australia from 1964 to 1999. Crime went up as incarceration went down. And Crime went down as incarceration went up. Graphs for England, Wales, United State and New Zealand are also the same. Crime peaked in England and Wales in the 1990’s then went down when incarceration went up.
People that criticize U.S. incarceration rates need to take this into account. Gun restrictions plus low and lax criminal incarceration rates creates a disaster.
Same happened in Australia from 1964 to 1999. Crime went up as incarceration went down. And Crime went down as incarceration went up. Graphs for England, Wales, United State and New Zealand are also the same. Crime peaked in England and Wales in the 1990’s then went down when incarceration went up.
People that criticize U.S. incarceration rates need to take this into account. Gun restrictions plus low and lax criminal incarceration rates creates a disaster.
Video about the history of the 2nd amendment and crime rates rising in England after gun control
John Stossel video about guns and violence
John Stossel video about guns and violence
Guns and Violence by Joyce Lee Malcom
The Thomas Sowell Reader by Thomas Sowell
Two Cautionary Tales of Gun Control
The Thomas Sowell Reader by Thomas Sowell
Two Cautionary Tales of Gun Control
Last edited by SG854,