Statistics help please ...

[Petre]

I am having a pro / anti gun ban , conversation with some people and I used to have the stats on legal vs illegal weapons used in crimes.

I want to address the point as to why it's more important to get the illegal weapons off the streets and not take away us law abiding citizens weapons.

Can anyone help me with a link to this stat of legal vs illegal weapons used in crimes and any other useful information ?

Thanks

Pete

 

[JuanCarlos]

Here's a start. (DoJ)

Basically, it says that 80% of guns used in crimes are obtained through black/grey market channels...private sales, of either the legal or illegal variety. I don't know where you'll find more specific stats. But follow some of the links there and you might find what you're looking for.

The problem you're going to run into is that getting illegal guns off the streets is almost always going to require some form of restrictions on legal gun owners. Ranging from the relatively benign (instant background checks), to the more infringing (3-day waits, one-gun-a-month laws, registration), to the downright draconian (permits required to buy, bans, etc.). I mean seriously, for as long as I can walk into a retail store with cash and walk out 10 minutes later with a handgun, criminals will have little difficulty getting their hands on them.

No, none of these will prevent criminals from getting guns...that doesn't happen even in countries with actual bans. But it will mean less guns in general on the street (over time), making them more expensive and difficult to find, which will lead to less criminals having guns.

But again, at the expense of law-abiding citizens.

 

[Petre]

Thank you JC