Several threads,lately have been about firearms. So i started doing some research and what I found was more shocking than I thought.
The Defensive Gun Use Statistics
According to the National Self Defense Survey conducted by Florida State University criminologists in 1994, the rate of Defensive Gun Uses can be projected nationwide to approximately 2.5 million per year -- one Defensive Gun Use every 13 seconds.
Among 15.7% of gun defenders interviewed nationwide during The National Self Defense Survey, the defender believed that someone "almost certainly" would have died had the gun not been used for protection -- a life saved by a privately held gun about once every 1.3 minutes. (In another 14.2% cases, the defender believed someone "probably" would have died if the gun hadn't been used in defense.)
In 83.5% of these successful gun defenses, the attacker either threatened or used force first -- disproving the myth that having a gun available for defense wouldn't make any difference.
In 91.7% of these incidents the defensive use of a gun did not wound or kill the criminal attacker (and the gun defense wouldn't be called "newsworthy" by newspaper or TV news editors). In 64.2% of these gun-defense cases, the police learned of the defense, which means that the media could also find out and report on them if they chose to.
While I can't help that this will be argumentative, but what should happen to a person who uses a gun in a self-defense or stand-your-ground manner and kills an innocent bystander?
While I can't help that this will be argumentative, but what should happen to a person who uses a gun in a self-defense or stand-your-ground manner and kills an innocent bystander?
the innocent bystander dies
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While I can't help that this will be argumentative, but what should happen to a person who uses a gun in a self-defense or stand-your-ground manner and kills an innocent bystander?
That is the liability for carrying a firearm, you are responsible for every bullet that comes out of it.
Several threads,lately have been about firearms. So i started doing some research and what I found was more shocking than I thought.
The Defensive Gun Use Statistics
According to the National Self Defense Survey conducted by Florida State University criminologists in 1994, the rate of Defensive Gun Uses can be projected nationwide to approximately 2.5 million per year -- one Defensive Gun Use every 13 seconds.
Among 15.7% of gun defenders interviewed nationwide during The National Self Defense Survey, the defender believed that someone "almost certainly" would have died had the gun not been used for protection -- a life saved by a privately held gun about once every 1.3 minutes. (In another 14.2% cases, the defender believed someone "probably" would have died if the gun hadn't been used in defense.)
In 83.5% of these successful gun defenses, the attacker either threatened or used force first -- disproving the myth that having a gun available for defense wouldn't make any difference.
In 91.7% of these incidents the defensive use of a gun did not wound or kill the criminal attacker (and the gun defense wouldn't be called "newsworthy" by newspaper or TV news editors). In 64.2% of these gun-defense cases, the police learned of the defense, which means that the media could also find out and report on them if they chose to.
According to the FBI uniform crime data, the number of people killed by a gun in a justifiable use (self-defense) hovers between 2% and 4% of the number of people killed by a gun in criminal acts.
E.g.: 2010: 232 justifiable killings with guns (self-defense)(see expanded data homicide table 15), versus 8,775 homicides by firearm. (see expanded data homicide by weapon table 8). FBI
I'm not a total gun control advocate or anything like that - but if we're going to talk about numbers, numbers like these these cannot be ignored.
According to the FBI uniform crime data, the number of people killed by a gun in a justifiable use (self-defense) hovers between 2% and 4% of the number of people killed by a gun in criminal acts.
E.g.: 2010: 232 justifiable killings with guns (self-defense)(see expanded data homicide table 15), versus 8,775 homicides by firearm. (see expanded data homicide by weapon table 8). FBI
I'm not a total gun control advocate or anything like that - but if we're going to talk about numbers, numbers like these these cannot be ignored.
according to the stats I posted a little over 400000 lives are safes ever year by privately owned guns.
Are you really saying that but for privately owned guns, homicide would be approaching cancer as a cause of death in America? That the near 9,000 gun homicides in 2010 would have been closer to 409,000? (or maybe perhaps a little less to account for the other ways those people could have died?)
And how do you account for the fact that only 232 self defense shooting deaths by firearm occurred in 2010?
One glaring example is the reported 8.3% wounding rate. If the survey was correct then in 1994 there would have been 207,500 gunshot wounds from defensive gun use alone. In reality there were only 134,500 gunshot wounds from all sources (criminal, suicide, etc) reported in 1994. That means that the survey either grossly overestimated DGU and/or wounding rates or that almost everyone wounded from DGU fails to seek medical attention.
The survey briefly addressed wounding rates and mentioned that results were based on only 17 survey responses which is a tiny tiny sample for a national survey. The whole DGU sample was only 222 which is also quite small for a national survey. Using outdated stats is another problem since crime rates are much lower today than in 1994.
I would disregard that survey and look for newer data from an unbiased source.
This research shows 160k lives saved annually. These are pretty serious numbers.
Looks like there are lots of studies done on this and the number of violent crimes prevented and lives saved are very significant even in the conservative studies.
Among 15.7% of gun defenders interviewed nationwide during The National Self Defense Survey, the defender believed that someone "almost certainly" would have died had the gun not been used for protection -- a life saved by a privately held gun about once every 1.3 minutes. (In another 14.2% cases, the defender believed someone "probably" would have died if the gun hadn't been used in defense.)
In 64.2% of these gun-defense cases, the police learned of the defense, which means that the media could also find out and report on them if they chose to.
And you call these facts? This is just silly. The first "fact" needs no explanation and the next one is a direct slam on the media, lemme guess, the LIBERAL MEDIA!
At the end of the day, the Constitution gives us the right to own a gun. I personally believe that if a person wants a gun for protection or for sport, have at it. I do not believe someone should be allowed to own an assault rifle or some Barrett .50cal. Personally, I have a little girl and because of that, I do not own a gun. The thought of her getting hurt by a weapon I purchased is too much for me to handle.
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we must pursue an ethic rooted in a hesitant determinism. We need to recognize obvious developmental differences between peoples and regions, but not oversimplify, and leave our options open. We cannot in every instance struggle unconditionally against fate, even though we have a military that will do so if so ordered. --Raymond Aron
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