DO MORE GUNS REALLY DISCOURAGES CRIME?

As mentioned previously in this article, some anti-gun control activists believe having more individuals carry guns will intimidate people from committing crimes. However, researchers have discovered that there is no correlation between a decrease in crimes and more gun ownership. According to an article from LiveScience, “‘We found no support for the hypothesis that owning more guns leads to a drop or a reduction in violent crime,’ said study researcher Michael Monuteaux, an epidemiologist and professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. ‘Instead, we found the opposite’” (Pappas).

Other Pro-gun controlists are convinced that most guns are stolen by criminals from homes and buildings. Many claim that during home robbers most often legally owned guns are taken. Study shows from the Institute of Medicine, 1.4 million guns were stolen from homes by criminals, from 2005 to 2010 (“Priorities for Research to Reduce the Threat of Firearm-Related Violence”). 

“I feel like gun control is very much so needed. People need to realize with gun control… We aren’t just taking guns away- but rather putting up some constrictions so that guns aren’t as accessible to the people that have bad intent,” Student Taylor Dolezal clarifies. 

Another student specified, “I believe anti-gun cities are not progressive as criminals who are the source of gun violence do not legally have firearms but law-abiding citizens cannot have firearms and cannot protect or stop gun violence threats which leads to more firearm deaths. I believe no gun zones like Chicago should lift the ban on firearms with the exception of schools. One thing that should absolutely be put in place is making safe gun storage mandatory. As your kids or thieves can’t get your firearms, resulting in fewer criminals and children getting hands-on guns which can lead to murders and accidents. Kids getting a hold of one of their parent’s firearms is most of the time the cause of school shootings.” – Anthony Yeggy