Harvard Public Health Study: Where There Are More Guns, There Are More Homicides

[villager]

Where there are more guns there is more homicide (literature review).

Our review of the academic literature found that a broad array of evidence indicates that gun availability is a risk factor for homicide, both in the United States and across high-income countries. Case-control studies, ecological time-series and cross-sectional studies indicate that in homes, cities, states and regions in the US, where there are more guns, both men and women are at higher risk for homicide, particularly firearm homicide.

Hepburn, Lisa; Hemenway, David. Firearm availability and homicide: A review of the literature. Aggression and Violent Behavior: A Review Journal. 2004; 9:417-40.


2. Across high-income nations, more guns = more homicide.

We analyzed the relationship between homicide and gun availability using data from 26 developed countries from the early 1990s. We found that across developed countries, where guns are more available, there are more homicides. These results often hold even when the United States is excluded.

Hemenway, David; Miller, Matthew. Firearm availability and homicide rates across 26 high income countries. Journal of Trauma. 2000; 49: 985-88.


3. Across states, more guns = more homicide

Using a validated proxy for firearm ownership, we analyzed the relationship between firearm availability and homicide across 50 states over a ten year period (1988-1997).

After controlling for poverty and urbanization, for every age group, people in states with many guns have elevated rates of homicide, particularly firearm homicide.

Miller, Matthew; Azrael, Deborah; Hemenway, David. Household firearm ownership levels and homicide rates across U.S. regions and states, 1988-1997. American Journal of Public Health. 2002: 92:1988-1993.

<snip>

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hicrc/firearms-research/guns-and-death/

[Human101948]

1. Dead cold hands! Gun grabbers! Second amendment!

Good guys with guns! Obama is coming with jackbooted thugs!

I'm heading to the gun store to stock up right now!

[villager]

6. And be sure to buy gun stocks! The blood of children means nothing if your S&W stock

...will show solid returns in the aftermath!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Duh.

[SheilaT]

3. That's not what the gun apologists would have you think.

They state over and over again that where there are more guns people are safer, prevent crimes, foil home invasions, generally insure law and order by pulling out their guns when needed.

No wonder the NRA has shut down all such research.

[villager]

4. Exactly. Facts and fanatics don't mix.

The fanatics who own Congress critters know this.

[TeddyR]

5. What do they mean

"Controlling for poverty and urbanization"? I can tell you right now that there are probably more gun owners per capita in the state of Wyoming than in the District of Columbia and you have a much greater chance of getting murdered in DC.

On edit, here's a link to two charts that shows the states where you are most likely and least likely to get murdered by firearm - http://gunstats.org/stay-away-from-these-states-if-you-dont-want-to-get-shot/.

And of course, many of the states where you are "least likely" to get shot by someone else have very permissive gun laws - e.g., Vermont, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, etc.

[Doctor_J]

7. This is quite surprising

[gembaby1]

8. In other news....

water is wet