The Violence of Gun Control

As the debate over control (if not out ran ban) of guns heats up, emotions are taking over reason.  Those who support increased control of guns raise the inherent danger of firearms as well as pointing to the absence of gun violence in the United Kingdom and other countries.  Guns, it is said, add to and are part of an American culture of violence.  Ban them and violence will go away - or at least recede.  The "debate" over guns between CNN's Piers Morgan and Larry Pratt following the tragedy in Newtown, CT, is perhaps the best (or is it the worst?) example of gun control advocacy.  Piers Morgan is a Englishman; he should know better as we will see below.

Leaving aside Second Amendment issues for the time being, the central question is will increased control of firearms achieve the goal of reducing violence in the United States?  Let's start by taking a close look at the US violent crime rate.  The table here is from the FBI's report "Crime in The United States - 2011".  

As you can see clearly from the table at the left, in 1992 the violent crime rate in the US was 757.7 per 100,000 of population.  Of this, murder and non-negligent manslaughter (i.e., not by accident) was 9.3 per 100,000 of population.

Leap forward about ten years to 2011.  Violent crime went down to 386.3 per 100,000 and murder / manslaughter down to 4.7 per 100,000.  

These statistics hardly indicate an increasingly violent society or a gun-happy culture.  So, why do gun-ban enthusiasts like Piers Morgan try to create a climate of fear?  Why are they not highlighting the nearly 50% reduction in violent crime?  Could it be that the statistics above do not fit their ideological agenda?

Now what about that paragon of a gun-less nation, Great Britain?  Let's take a look at the crime rate in England and Wales.  A report on violent crime rates in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin for 2011/2012 contains the chart presented here.  With a combined population of 56 million, in 2011 England and Wales had a violent crime rate of 1,361 per 100,000 population.  That is 3.5 the US rate in 2011 and almost double what the US rate was in 1992! 

  

England and Wales do have a lower murder rate than the United States about 1.3 per 100,000. However, what is left unsaid is what instruments are used to commit murders or violent crimes. The disarmed public has a higher rate of violent crime than the mass-armed citizenry of the United States. This is important, because from those of us who advocate that people be allowed to defend themselves, a firearm is the very best means of doing that.  And what many Americans don't realize is that British "bobbies" now routinely carry guns.  Over 300,000 firearms illegally change hands every year in the UK - the nation with what Americans call "model" gun control.

And what of those UK citizens who defend themselves?   Take the case of Tony Martin who suffered repeated burglaries of his rural home.  In 1999, two robbers invaded his home.  Martin yelled at them to leave. They responded by bursting into his bedroom to attack him (and his wife) with a metal pipe.  Instead, he shot with his legally owned shotgun, killing one wounding the second.  The survivor was sentence to three years (this despite a long record) and paroled in eighteen months.  As for Martin, he was given a life sentence for murder. After massive public protests, the sentence was reduced to manslaughter and his sentence cut to five years. 

We haven't even discussed the freedoms under Second Amendment - which the US Supreme Court has upheld repeatedly.  But, just on the statistics here, what society do you prefer:  One in which the probability of becoming a victim of violent crime is 3.5 higher than the US but without guns; or one in which violent crime continues to decline despite an increase in gun ownership?  And, what kind of justice do you prefer: one that recognizes the right to self-defense or one that criminalizes you for protecting your home and loved ones?

In 2008, a massive protest took place in London by citizens opposed to the UK ban on guns. Seems like banning guns just disarms law-abiding citizens leaving them prey to criminals and more violence.