Quote:
Originally Posted by Canuck-Hater
Because criminals will always find a way to get their hands on weapons regardless of gun control laws.
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As you'll see in the video I posted earlier, Australia passed very restrictive gun control laws in 1996. By your logic, that should not have made a difference on the murder rate because criminals will always find a way to get their hands on firearms or other weapons, right?
So let's take a look at the data:
Homicides per 100,000 population (any method):
2012: 1.11
2011: 0.86
2010: 1.13
2009: 1.28
2008: 1.19
2007: 1.04
2006: 1.25
2005: 0.98
2004: 0.82
2003: 1.41
2002: 1.49
2001: 1.55
2000: 1.78
1999: 1.81
1998: 1.68
1997: 1.73
1996: 1.97 (Gun control law passed here)
1995: 1.90
1994: 1.92
1993: 2.04
1992: 1.90
1991: 2.04
1990: 1.95
So in the years prior to Australia's gun control law going into effect, the country was averaging about two murders for every 100k citizens. Since then, that figure has been
cut down to nearly half its former rate.
And here's the data just for gun-related deaths per 100,000 people:
2011: 0.86
2010: 1.09
2009: 1.07
2008: 1.11
2007: 1.14
2006: 1.20
2005: 1.05
2004: 1.17
2003: 1.45
2002: 1.49
2001: 1.69
2000: 1.70
1999: 1.84
1998: 1.68
1997: 2.32
1996: 2.84 (Gun control law passed here)
1995: 2.61
1994: 2.90
1993: 2.91
1992: 3.49
1991: 3.59
1990: 3.51
1989: 3.29
1988: 4.11
1987: 4.30
1986: 4.26
1985: 4.35
1984: 4.35
1983: 4.20
1982: 4.54
1981: 4.14
1980: 4.70
1979: 3.29
As you can see, there's a VERY huge decline in the rate of firearms-related deaths following the 1996 gun control law. I'm sure that's purely coincidental though, and we can't possibly make a causation argument between gun control and a corresponding reduction in gun deaths though, right?
Data source