Posted on 05/07/2013 2:40:00 PM PDT by Seizethecarp
Gun violence has dropped dramatically nationwide over the past two decades, but nearly three-quarters of all homicides are still committed with a firearm, the Justice Department said...
The report, by the department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, painted an encouraging picture of long-term trends at a time of divisive political debate over guns and legislation to regulate them. Firearms-related homicides declined 39 percent between 1993 and 2011, the report said, while nonfatal firearms crimes fell 69 percent during that period.
The biggest setback for the White House was the defeat of a compromise measure to expand background checks for firearms purchases. Gun-control proponents have since mobilized to revive the push for stricter gun laws, but gun rights groups might seize on one finding in Tuesday’s Justice Department report to argue against enhanced background checks.
Less than 1 percent of state prison inmates who possessed a gun when they committed their offense obtained the firearm at a gun show, the report said.
About 40 percent of state prison inmates obtained their firearms from illegal sources such as theft or through a drug deal, the report said, while 37 percent got their guns from a family member or friend. Those findings are based on data from 2004.
Overall, the Justice Department report said, firearm-related homicides dropped from 18,253 homicides in 1993 to 11,101 in 2011, while nonfatal firearm crimes declined from 1.5 million in 1993 to 467,300 in 2011. The drop extended to schools: Homicides at schools declined from an average of 29 per year in the 1990s to an average of 20 per year in the 2000s.
Although the rate of firearms homicides for African Americans declined by 51 percent over the past two decades, that rate was still 14.6 per 100,000 people in 2010 — compared to 1.9 for whites.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Firearms are easier to carry than a canon....
Yeah, So ?
This report of plunging “firearm-homicide” comes from Barry and Holder’s own DOJ! Whoever in DOJ released it might need “witness protection” from the GOP.
The WaPo writer desperately tries to trumpet the HUGH and SERIES percentage of homicides still related to firearms...even though those PLUNGED in number, TOO!
” The WaPo writer desperately tries to trumpet the HUGH and SERIES percentage of homicides still related to firearms...even though those PLUNGED in number, TOO!”
Exactly.
The mass media has misused the First Amendment a hell of a lot more than the citizens of this country have misused the second amendment.
quite a "loophole" , those gunshows.
FLASH: Chicago still not enforcing gun laws!
WHO is doing all that shooting?
Wasn’t there a recent report that murders are committed in larger numbers with items other than those with firearms?
Blacks are 7x more likely to be killed by a gun.
= Guns are racist.
I’m working on my limp pasta killing machine.....
When I perfect it, it will move to number one....
I used to do a lot of business travel in Asia where guns are not common.
If some one is nuts enough to commit a murder, they will find another weapon. Such as knives .... and hammers (both popular out there).
Even if homicides double, I am for more gun freedom, and for more people owning guns. Even if homicides are multiplied TENFOLD, I am still for more people owning guns.
How many thwarted robberies, rapes and murders involved a gun?
Could it be that with homes, autos and some small businesses are armed against crime that fewer of those crimes are being committed? Could it be that, at least on the margin, criminals are making a rational trade-off of not risking their lives?
Here comes the sping.........
I’m with you. I believe in Darwin awards.
“Could it be that, at least on the margin, criminals are making a rational trade-off of not risking their lives?”
This is certainly true of carjackers, once CC was introduced state by state. Carjackings plunged once drivers could be legally armed.
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