Harvard study finds that banning firearms would not likely affect suicide rates.

[tuoder]

Furthermore, It goes on to say this:

Whether gun availability is viewed as a cause or as a mere coincidence, the long term macrocosmic evidence is that gun ownership spread widely throughout societies consistently correlates with stable or declining murder rates. Whether causative or not, the consistent international pattern is that more guns equal less murder and other violent crime. Even if one is inclined to think that gun availability is an important factor, the available international data cannot be squared with the mantra that more guns equal more death and fewer guns equal less death. Rather, if firearms availability does matter, the data consistently show that the way it matters is that more guns equal less violent crime.

http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol30_No2_KatesMauseronline.pdf

 

[jeremy]

Tag...

I have a Major at work that is going to hate me come Monday when he reads his email...

 

[mrjarrell]

Previous studies have shown the same thing. If a person has committed to suicide they are going to get it done, whether there's a gun about or not.

 

[indykid]

Last week a student at IU committed suicide using a batch of chemicals. Don't hear of a call to ban chemicals on campus.

 

[Sureshot129]

Yep just like crime, you can take away a method but if the person really wants to do it they will find a way.

 

[Joe Williams]

Tag...

I have a Major at work that is going to hate me come Monday when he reads his email...

Better be careful! He might ship your butt off to Afghanistan or something.

Wonder what Paul Helmke and his co-conspirators will have to say about this study?

 

[5.56'aholic]

Last week a student at IU committed suicide using a batch of chemicals. Don't hear of a call to ban chemicals on campus.

Just like we still have lighters and matches even though little kids burn houses down with them.

 

[leftsock]

2005 US Population: 296,410,404
2005 US Suicides: 32,439
2005 US Firearm Suicides: 17,002 (52% of all suicides)

% of population committed suicide: 0.011%
% of population committed firearm suicide: 0.006%

Not a whole lot of people.

Much like how locks won't keep out burglars, laws don't prevent crime, and as previously said:

... If a person has committed to suicide they are going to get it done, whether there's a gun about or not.

Suicide Statistics at Suicide.org! Suicide Statistics, Suicide Statistics, Suicide Statistics, Suicide Statistics, Suicide Statistics!

Population Estimates