NIJ Study: Defensive Gun Uses

[ncthorn]

When I took a look at the 40% figure that has been touted by advocates of gun control (Here) I mentioned that there were other parts of the NIJ study that were worth a look. Since I am finally done with my college career and have some free time, I decided to take a look at the segment of the study covering defensive gun uses (DGUs). This part of the survey yielded some very interesting results.

NIJ Study: Defensive Gun Uses | Modern Rifleman

 

[Libertarian01]

To Ncthorn (et alia),

A great find! Thank you for sharing.

This is a piece of information we all need to commit to memory to help in the argument that firearms are useful and used for protection.

In accounting (yuck) we learned that EVERY single decision you make in business has a positive and a negative effect. Every single one. Your job is to make decisions where the positives outweigh the negatives.

In this case a broad range of firearms ownership has the negative effect on our society of facilitating about 8,400 malicious deaths each and every year. That is a sad negative that we want to reduce.

However, the positive is between 108,000 and 23 million crimes either averted or ameliorated during the same time frame.

If we are conservative and use the smallest numbers available, the 108,000 and presume that 10% of them would have ended in severe tragedy this means that 10,800 lives were saved by firearms ownership.

Take the 10,800 - 8,400 = +2,400. So at the cost of 8,400 hundred lives we save 10,800 and come out way ahead. It is cold math but we must weigh every side in making decisions.

It is nice to have the information available to make a more rational and cogent argument against false hope and irrational fear.

Nice job.

Regards,

Doug