NCJ Number
79975
Date Published
1981
Length
45 pages
Annotation
This summary highlights key findings, results, and recommendations from a 2-year research study on weapons and violent crime.
Abstract
The project consisted of a literature review and development of an annotated bibliography, a survey focused on weapons and crime data gathered and archived by police departments nationwide, and an analysis of the effects of weapons used on felony case disposition in Los Angeles. The literature review revealed the existing stock of private firearms as of 1978 to be about 120 million guns (with a plus or minus factor of 20 million guns), an increase of some 40 million over 10 years. About three-quarters of this stock is owned primarily for sport and recreation; the remainder is for protection and self-defense. There appears to be no strong causal connection between private gun ownership and the crime rate and no compelling evidence that private weaponry is an important cause of or deterrent to violent criminality. Moreover, no good evidence has been found to indicate that fear of crime and violence is an important factor in the increased acquisition of guns. Approximately 30,000 deaths occur annually as the result of accidental, homicidal, or suicidal use of guns. Studies of 'crime guns' confiscated by police confirm that they are predominantly handguns. Approximately 250,000 guns are stolen each year. However, the study states that there is no reason to believe that a very large percentage go into permanent gun circulation. Of the stolen guns, some are found to have crossed State lines before their use in crime. Despite the fact that 20,000 gun laws are already on the books, the wide variability of provisions across jurisdictions tends to legally invalidate the effects of these laws. With a few exceptions, studies of gun laws tend to show that their effects on crime are modest or nonexistent. The survey of police departments and ways of generating and using data on weapons crime concluded that police records on weapons and crime are a potentially fruitful and so far underexploited resource for information. The study of Los Angeles felonies found that gun offenders receive harsher treatment at all stages of court processing. A total of 30 references and 1 table are given. (Author summary modified).