NCJ Number
127644
Date Published
1990
Length
11 pages
Annotation
To clarify the relation between firearms regulations and community rates of homicide, two large cities in the Pacific Northwest: Seattle (Washington) and Vancouver (British Columbia) were studied.
Abstract
Although similar in many ways, Seattle and Vancouver differ markedly in their approaches to the regulation of firearms. However, both cities aggressively enforce existing gun laws and regulations, and convictions for gun-related offenses carry similar penalties. Methodology for this study included an analysis of restricted-weapons permits in both cities, and the use of Cook's gun prevalence index. The analysis of the rates of homicide suggests that the modest restriction of citizen's access to firearms (especially handguns) is associated with lower rates of homicide. This association does not appear to be explained by differences between the communities in aggressiveness, criminal behavior, or response to crime. Although the findings should be corroborated in other settings, the results suggest that a more restrictive approach to handgun control may decrease national homicide rates. 2 tables and 36 references