Gun fires from girl's purse in Cheyenne Starbucks

[DanTex]

20. Yes. It is important to teach people to be able to feel safe without a gun.

The gun culture likes to circulate stories of brave gunners shooting down bad guys, but more careful examinations of the actual risks and benefits of keeping a gun generally show that, for most people, the risks involved are greater than the safety benefits.

In fact, a lot of the supposed safety benefits of guns in terms of self-defense are illusory and psychological. People may feel safer, but there is little evidence that owning or carrying a gun reduces their risk of being a victim of a violent crime. There is also very little evidence that attempting to defend oneself from a criminal with a gun produces a better outcome -- the evidence generally shows either that other self-protective measures are just as effective, or that a gun can actually exacerbate the situation.

None of this is quite as sexy as the "don't mess with me I'm packing" ideology that might appeal to certain young people, but it is the sober reality. It is true that the illusion of safety, and the accompanying peace of mind, may be real benefits, but a better way to achieve this is simply for people to be able to feel safe without a gun.

Here's a useful survey of some of the academic research on risks and benefits of gun ownership.

This article summarizes the scientific literature on the health risks and benefits of having a gun in the home for the gun owner and his/her family. For most contemporary Americans, scientific studies indicate that the health risk of a gun in the home is greater than the benefit. The evidence is overwhelming for the fact that a gun in the home is a risk factor for completed suicide and that gun accidents are most likely to occur in homes with guns. There is compelling evidence that a gun in the home is a risk factor for intimidation and for killing women in their homes. On the benefit side, there are fewer studies, and there is no credible evidence of a deterrent effect of firearms or that a gun in the home reduces the likelihood or severity of injury during an altercation or break-in. Thus, groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics urge parents not to have guns in the home.

http://www.iansa.org/system/files/Risks%20and%20Benefits%20of%20a%20Gun%20in%20the%20Home%202011.pdf