New study: Gun control laws reduce gun deaths

[arthwollipot]

A huge international study of gun control finds strong evidence that it actually works

A just-released study, published in the February issue of Epidemiological Reviews, seeks to resolve this problem. It systematically reviewed the evidence from around the world on gun laws and gun violence, looking to see if the best studies come to similar conclusions. It is the first such study to look at the international research in this way.

The authors are careful to note that their findings do not conclusively prove that gun restrictions reduce gun deaths. However, they did find a compelling trend whereby new restrictions on gun purchasing and ownership tended to be followed by a decline in gun deaths.

About 130 studies, from 10 different countries, converged on the idea gun deaths declined after laws restricting access to firearms went into force.

The complete study is available for free. It makes good reading.

 

[marplots]

There's no reason for me to read it - it doesn't fit my preferred narrative.

 

[WildCat]

Oh look, a study that pretends that Mexico isn't an OECD country!

Cherry pick much?

And also let's totally ignore the worldwide drop in homicides in the 1990s is strongly associated with the phase-out of leaded gasoline 20 years prior.

 

[The Fool]

Oh look, a study that pretends that Mexico isn't an OECD country!

Cherry pick much?

And also let's totally ignore the worldwide drop in homicides in the 1990s is strongly associated with the phase-out of leaded gasoline 20 years prior.

time is ticking.......sooooon it will happen. You are going to be condemned to INCONVENIENCE in order to continue your Hobby.

 

[Civet]

One thing this story got me thinking about is how I really never pay any attention to how gun homicide rates compare among non-US first world countries. Looking at the presentation at the bottom of the linked page, it looks like Switzerland is a lot more lethal than Germany, for example, and I'm kind of curious as to why. Anyone got any info on that? Links appreciated.

 

[casebro]

Gun deaths dropped? Murders, suicides, or both? And how about non-gun murders, suicides, or both?

 

[theprestige]

I always wonder how the rate of decline before compares to the rate after the new regulations.

 

[shemp]

One thing this story got me thinking about is how I really never pay any attention to how gun homicide rates compare among non-US first world countries. Looking at the presentation at the bottom of the linked page, it looks like Switzerland is a lot more lethal than Germany, for example, and I'm kind of curious as to why. Anyone got any info on that? Links appreciated.

Well how do you think they get the holes in the Swiss Cheese? Sometimes they miss.

 

[arthwollipot]

Gun deaths dropped? Murders, suicides, or both? And how about non-gun murders, suicides, or both?

What relevance do they have to a study about the effect on gun control laws on gun murders, suicides and accidents?

I always wonder how the rate of decline before compares to the rate after the new regulations.

That's covered in the paper.

 

[arthwollipot]

Oh look, a study that pretends that Mexico isn't an OECD country!

Cherry pick much?

If you'd read the paper, you will see that it never even pretends to be a comprehensive study of OECD countries. It is a meta-analysis of a certain number of previously published studies. If Mexico did not appear in their literature search, it means that Mexico hasn't been the subject of a previously published study that fit the criteria. Turns out they ignored Finland, Luxembourg and Portugal too.

And also let's totally ignore the worldwide drop in homicides in the 1990s is strongly associated with the phase-out of leaded gasoline 20 years prior.

Yes, let's. Because that has very little to do with the rate of gun control laws on gun-related deaths, suicides and accidents, so it has no place in the study. However, if you read the paper, you will find that some of the literature did indeed take background statistical effects into account.

Wow, it's almost like you didn't actually read the paper. Who could have predicted that? Oh wait...

There's no reason for me to read it - it doesn't fit my preferred narrative.

 

[Segnosaur]

Gun deaths dropped? Murders, suicides, or both? And how about non-gun murders, suicides, or both?

What relevance do they have to a study about the effect on gun control laws on gun murders, suicides and accidents?

I assume that the other poster was suggesting that non-gun murders would act as some sort of control group.

If non-firearm deaths dropped as much as firearm deaths in a certain time period, then it might be reasonable think that the cause of the decline in firearms deaths had something to with factors other than gun control.

 

[arthwollipot]

I assume that the other poster was suggesting that non-gun murders would act as some sort of control group.

If non-firearm deaths dropped as much as firearm deaths in a certain time period, then it might be reasonable think that the cause of the decline in firearms deaths had something to with factors other than gun control.

Again, if this is the case then the other poster should read the paper.

 

[Cain]

This is another case where theory and reality do not match up. In Australia they severely limited guns, which sounds great until you find out the homicide rate has actually gone up because criminals learned how to train poisonous snakes.

 

[Flo]

One thing this story got me thinking about is how I really never pay any attention to how gun homicide rates compare among non-US first world countries. Looking at the presentation at the bottom of the linked page, it looks like Switzerland is a lot more lethal than Germany, for example, and I'm kind of curious as to why. Anyone got any info on that? Links appreciated.

The Swiss army is a militia, where all males (and a few females) get to serve for an initial period of 4 month, then 2 weeks every two years and yearly exercises at the gun range for the next 20 years. They are allowed to keep their firearms (assault rifle) at home.
Most homicides and suicides by firearms involve those assault rifles.
No links but both my father and brother went through it, and one of our friends committed suicide with a rifle he stole from someone's cellar ...

 

[Sideroxylon]

Oh look, a study that pretends that Mexico isn't an OECD country!

Cherry pick much?

And also let's totally ignore the worldwide drop in homicides in the 1990s is strongly associated with the phase-out of leaded gasoline 20 years prior.

But isn't Mexico a basket case run by crime lords that fuel American drug habits with a stream of firearms coming back the other way? Would that skew the data?

 

[P.J. Denyer]

The Swiss army is a militia, where all males (and a few females) get to serve for an initial period of 4 month, then 2 weeks every two years and yearly exercises at the gun range for the next 20 years. They are allowed to keep their firearms (assault rifle) at home.
Most homicides and suicides by firearms involve those assault rifles.
No links but both my father and brother went through it, and one of our friends committed suicide with a rifle he stole from someone's cellar ...

I understand it's very well regulated too.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

This is another case where theory and reality do not match up. In Australia they severely limited guns, which sounds great until you find out the homicide rate has actually gone up because criminals learned how to train poisonous snakes.

Hardly need any training, now do they?

 

[Flo]

I understand it's very well regulated too.

It is. Using one's regulation firearm for anything else than obligatory exercise is heavily punished (prison and heavy fines), and the idea of using military guns in a civilian context (i.e. self-defence) is almost unknown. Most gun crimes by Swiss citizens involve family or work disputes, or mental illness.

However, the army's usefulness is regularly disputed, given the forms of the actual menaces against Switzerland (one regular jokes is that should the Chinese invade, the safest places, the only one the Swiss soldiers will defend to the death, are the restaurants and bars they frequent during their free time around military places).

We used to learn in school how the valiant Swiss army stood firm at the borders during WWII, which left me doubtful in view of what one of my great-uncle, who was a captain at that time, used to tell me. Basically, officers were all too aware of the fact that should have Germany really wanted to invade Switzerland, it could easily have cut its supply lines and starved it within a couple of months ...

Nowaday, nobody believes there's anybody who would invade the country and that the army is really necessary, although a majority of the population is in favour of keeping it as is, mostly for the image of a self-reliant country ready to face the hostile outside world ... and many women wouldn't want to renounce a situation that allows them to have the house for themselves for two weeks each year without hubby to interfere with the new decoration

 

[arthwollipot]

The Vatican still employs Swiss mercenaries...

 

[ponderingturtle]

Oh look, a study that pretends that Mexico isn't an OECD country!

Yea, america is such a crappy neighbor to them.