70 Million More Guns?38% Less Violent Crime

[Guns N RockMusic]

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Data released by the FBI on Monday showed that in 2005, the nation?s total violent crime rate was 38% lower than in 1991, when violent crime hit an all-time high.? Rates of the individual categories of violent crime were also much lower in 2005 than in 1991. Murder was 43% lower, rape 25% lower, robbery 48% lower, and aggravated assault 33% lower. The FBI?s report came on the heels of a Bureau of Justice Statistics crime survey that found that violent crime was lower in 2005 than anytime in the survey?s 32-year history.

Defying the anti-gunners? claim that more guns means more crime, from 1991-2005 the number of privately owned guns increased by more than 70 million.

The news media often characterize violent crime as a primarily gun-oriented problem, but the FBI?s report showed that only one in every four violent crimes in 2005 was committed with a gun.? In 2005, as in previous years, most violent crimes were robberies and aggravated assaults, most of which were committed with knives or bare hands.

Recently, anti-gun politicians and activists have intensified their rhetoric over the ?lack? of bans on handguns, so-called ?assault weapons?, and .50-caliber rifles; gun registration, gun owner licensing, and mandatory background checks on sales of guns between friends and family members; and limits on the frequency of gun purchases, all of which they say are necessary to reduce the nation?s murder rate.? But for the last seven years, the murder rate has been steady?in the 5.5-5.7 per 100,000 population range?at all times lower than anytime since the mid-1960s.? In 2005, for example, the murder rate was 5.6.

Naturally, anti-gunners will downplay the downward trend in violent crime since 1991, and focus on the fact that the FBI?s report showed a 1% increase in total violent crime, and a 2% increase in murder in 2005, compared to 2004.? But those changes are miniscule, compared to the huge decrease in crime over the last 14 years.

The FBI?s report once again confirmed that violent crime rates are lower in states with Right-to-Carry (RTC) laws.? In 2005, RTC states had, on average, 22% lower total violent crime, 30% less murder, 46% lower robbery, and 12% lower aggravated assault rates, compared to the rest of the country.

As usual, Washington, D.C., which leads the nation in anti-gun laws, led the nation in murder, with a rate six times higher than the rest of the country.? Neighboring Maryland, where gun control advocates have been particularly active recently, once again had the highest robbery rate among the states, but also tied for the unenviable distinction of ?first place? in murder among the states.? However, despite Maryland?s high crime counts, CeaseFire Maryland, the local Brady Campaign affiliate that recently released a paper demanding an ?assault weapon? ban, was unable to point to any crimes in the state involving such a gun.

The FBI?s report must have displeased New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg (R).? Despite the mayor?s recent posturing on the gun issue, and his self-laudatory comments about fighting crime, the Big Apple?s murder rate was more than double that of the rest of the state.? Similarly, in Philadelphia, where anti-gun politicians are calling for a statewide one-gun-a-month law, the murder rate was more than seven times higher than the rest of Pennsylvania.

Adding to the reasons why voters should ?Dump Doyle? in Wisconsin?s upcoming gubernatorial election, their state had the greatest total violent crime rate increase (15.1%) between 2004-2005.? Murder was up 25.2%; robbery up 11.2%; and aggravated assault up 20.2%.? Wisconsin is one of only two states that prohibits Right-to-Carry entirely, but in 2005, 11 of the 12 states that had the greatest decreases in total violent crime, and 12 of the 14 states with the greatest decreases in murder were Right-to-Carry states.? The seven states with the lowest total violent crime rates in 2005, and 11 of the 12 states that had the lowest murder rates, were Right-to-Carry states.

Last, but not least, is good news from Florida, the state that during the last 20 years has been most often attacked by anti-gunners, for (among other reasons) setting the Right-to-Carry and ?Castle Doctrine? movements in motion.? In 2005, Florida recorded a murder rate 13% lower than the rate for the rest of the country (4.96 per 100,000, vs. 5.67 for the rest of the country).? For the record, Florida?s 2005 murder rate was 58% lower than it was in 1986, the last year before the state?s landmark Right-to-Carry law took effect.
 
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NRA

[Axl4Prez2004]

Verrrrrrrry interesting link Guns N' Music...and if anyone knows my reputation here in The Jungle, you'll know why I find this article fascinating! 

Violent crime has fallen since 1991.  What does this tell us??  Anybody who has read the highly-successful best-seller Freakonomics can tell you this was to be expected. 

Where does violent crime have its roots?  Here's some mind-candy for ya to chew on.  Since 1973 when Roe vs. Wade was put into effect and abortion became legal, over 30 million+ unwanted babies were spared the hell of unloving parents.  The more unwanted children a society produces, the more crime you will find.  How amazing is it that violent crime levels kept rising and rising until 1991...the exact "graduating year" of Roe v. Wade 1973's births?  Freakonomics is a cool read and gives you the sources for all of their interesting chapters.  Also of note, a disproportionately high % of fetuses aborted came from lower socio-economic levels which historically produce higher rates of criminals.  Think about it, and before I get flamed, I know there are exceptions to the rule.  Many can overcome their terrible early years...unfortunately, it's not anywhere near a majority of them.      

Does it have anything to do with guns?  Probably not.  People kill people.  However, I do believe in gun control, not gun eradication when it comes to the guns issue.      

[Guns N RockMusic]

Interesting, I had never heard or thought of that before.? You certainly won't see that advertised on any planned parenthood ad.? I'm all for pro-choice, just never put those two together.? Thanks.

[Axl4Prez2004]

Interesting, I had never heard or thought of that before.? You certainly won't see that advertised on any planned parenthood ad.? I'm all for pro-choice, just never put those to together.? Thanks.

Ha, I'm sure they're aware of it, but it's a dicey topic.  "C'mon in and get rid of that future criminal today!"  In all seriousness, it's about time folks learned that the formative years are key to developing great adults.  Yes, there are exceptions, but when you are dealing with a nation of 300 million people, the percentages add up in a big way! 

Here's my guns stance:  I don't think the Constitution wanted folks carrying around automatic weapons, bazookas, SAM missiles etc.  Should a person be allowed hunting weapons? Sure.  Pass a competency test (mental and physical), register the weapon/s, and in the case of "accidents" or intentional crimes, punish the offending gun owner to the extreme extent of the law...and I mean "extreme."  Not hunting?, and you want it for target shooting or self-protection?  Fine, just register the damn thing and require follow-up appointments to ensure it's in the shape it was in when purchased/registered.

I'm all about freedom, but I'm also about responsibility.  I don't know the exact numbers but I'm almost positive there are more gun deaths from accidents than there are self-defense shootings.  Freedom with responsibility...neglect your responsibilities, and suffer the extreme penalties of the Axl4Prez2004 Law!!!!     

[freedom78]

An interesting article, to be sure, and interesting connection with Roe v. Wade (though I doubt that the graduation rate of future killers is as high as non-killers). 

I generally support gun rights, though I try to not take seriously any gun stats, mainly because the two sides on this issue are both so militant about getting supporters (probably second only to abortion related groups, both pro and con).  Stats can be manipulated, and even when not, correlation does not equate with causation. 

But it is nice that violent crime has gone down.  It'll go down even more when we decriminalize some victimless crimes.  I wonder how many times a shootout happens when someone is confronted by police soliciting prostitution or using drugs.  It'd be a shame for someone to die (officer or "criminal"), just to prevent someone else from having sex or getting high.

[The Dog]

How old is that article....talks about 2005???  Interesting b/c this says violent crime is UP...... 

Violent crime takes first big jump since '91

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Murders in the United States jumped 4.8 percent last year, and overall violent crime was up 2.5 percent for the year, marking the largest annual increase in crime in the United States since 1991, according to figures released Monday by the FBI.

Robberies nationally increased 4.5 percent, and aggravated assaults increased 1.9 percent, while the number of rapes last year fell 1.9 percent, the report said.

Crime increased most noticeably in several categories in many mid-sized cities and in the Midwest.

Law enforcement authorities and criminologists reacted cautiously, uncertain whether the preliminary statistics for 2005 signal the end of a long downward trend in crime or simply a one-year anomaly.

Senior Justice Department officials struggled to make sense of the new figures, and said Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had ordered them to try to find out what may account for the increases.

Richard Hertling, deputy assistant attorney general for legal policy, termed the new crime figures "troubling," but stressed the numbers are preliminary, and do not lend themselves to easy conclusions.

"We really don't know what's driving this," Hertling said. "We need to be be careful not to overinterpret or overreact."

The director of the Justice Department Bureau of Justice Statistics, Jeff Sedgwick, said, "It's certainly a matter of concern. But the question is this -- 'Is this a real increase or is it ... statistical noise, which you see with year-to-year changes?' "

Justice officials rejected the notion that resources were taken away from fighting crime to combating terrorism. They noted that combating crime has historically been largely a local responsibility, unlike national security and terrorism, which are federal obligations.

Crime figures had begun to level off in the last few years and some categories had edged up slightly in 2001, but had not shown an increase of this size.

Several experts cited an aging population and stiffer sentencing as key factors that contributed to the gradual reductions in crime throughout the 1990s and into the start of the new century. But some leading criminologists say those factors are changing and they are not surprised by the new numbers.

"There is an 'echo boom,' with an increasing number of late adolescents, particularly blacks and Latinos," said James Fox, a professor of criminal justice at Northeastern University. "Also, more people incarcerated in the '80s are now being released to their neighborhoods, and some are back to their old ways and old gangs," Fox said.

The statistics for all cities of 100,000 or more show the largest increase in overall violent crime regionally occurred in the Midwest, where the total of murders, robberies, rapes and aggravated assaults increased by 5.7 percent last year.

FBI officials, who compiled the figures supplied by local police departments, noted sharp variations among cities, and even among categories of crime within cities, leaving few discernible patterns.

In Houston, where murders increased from 272 to 334, officials said they did not have sufficient data to know whether post-Katrina residential shifts had been a factor. New Orleans' crime data was not available.

In Detroit, where murders declined, robberies increased sharply. In most of the nation's largest metropolitan areas, overall crime declined, while in many smaller to medium cities, crime -- including murders -- increased.

Authorities said the spread of gangs into smaller cities with fewer police resources may account for some of the violence being reported.

In Memphis, Tennessee, the number of murders rose from 107 in 2004 to 136 in 2005. In Norfolk, Virginia, murders rose from 35 to 58; in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from 48 to 58; in Las Vegas, Nevada, from from 131 to 144; and in St. Louis, Missouri, from 113 to 131.

Police in some cities said crime increases reflected unusually low numbers in 2004, rather than unusually high numbers in 2005.

Final figures and detailed statistical analysis, which may provide clues to the significance of the preliminary 2005 figures, are scheduled to be released by FBI officials in September.

[SLCPUNK]

How old is that article....talks about 2005???  Interesting b/c this says violent crime is UP...... 

Violent crime takes first big jump since '91
 

Beat me to it, I just read this the other day.

[The Dog]

How old is that article....talks about 2005???  Interesting b/c this says violent crime is UP...... 

Violent crime takes first big jump since '91
 

Beat me to it, I just read this the other day.

I thought I did too, but when I looked for an article on it, the latest I found was the one i posted, dated June or July of 2006.  But i totally remember reading something very similar like a week ago.

[Izzy]

Obviously more guns mean less crime

If everyone lives in fear - hell, thats a great way of getting people to behave!

The Nazis managed to virtually eliminate burglary and petty crime - hell most crime, even when they made more things an arrestable offence - maybe we should try that

[Guns N RockMusic]

Obviously more guns mean less crime

If everyone lives in fear - hell, thats a great way of getting people to behave!

The Nazis managed to virtually eliminate burglary and petty crime - hell most crime, even when they made more things an arrestable offence - maybe we should try that

The Nazis registered and then confiscated all privately owned firearms.