Data lacking on gun-control laws

[Columbia]

Data lacking on gun-control laws
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6724144

WASHINGTON - An analysis of efforts to control violence by restricting guns released Thursday concludes there is not enough evidence to reach valid conclusions about their effectiveness...

Thirty-four states have “right to carry” laws that allow certain adults to carry concealed weapons. However, the report found no credible evidence that such laws either decrease or increase violent crime...

Many studies linking guns to suicide and criminal violence produce conflicting conclusions, have statistical flaws and often do not show whether gun ownership results in certain outcomes, the report said...

The report noted that many schools have programs intended to prevent gun violence. However, it added, some studies suggest that children’s curiosity and teenagers’ attraction to risk make them resistant to the programs or that the projects actually increase the appeal of guns...

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