More Guns, Less Crime : Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws

by Lott, John R.

• ISBN13: 9780226493633
• ISBN10: 0226493636
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-05-01
• Publisher: Univ of Chicago Pr

Summary

Does allowing people to own or carry guns deter violent crime? Or does it simply cause more citizens to harm each other? Directly challenging common perceptions about gun control, legal scholar John Lott presents the most rigorously comprehensive data analysis ever done on crime statistics and right-to-carry laws. This timely and provocative work comes to the startling conclusion: more guns mean less crime. In this paperback edition, Lott has expanded the research through 1996, incorporating new data available from states that passed right-to-carry and other gun laws since the book's publication as well as new city-level statistics. "Lott's pro-gun argument has to be examined on the merits, and its chief merit is lots of data. . . . If you still disagree with Lott, at least you will know what will be required to rebut a case that looks pretty near bulletproof."--Peter Coy, Business Week "By providing strong empirical evidence that yet another liberal policy is a cause of the very evil it purports to cure, he has permanently changed the terms of debate on gun control. . . . Lott's book could hardly be more timely. . . . A model of the meticulous application of economics and statistics to law and policy."--John O. McGinnis, National Review "His empirical analysis sets a standard that will be difficult to match. . . . This has got to be the most extensive empirical study of crime deterrence that has been done to date."--Public Choice "For anyone with an open mind on either side of this subject this book will provide a thorough grounding. It is also likely to be the standard reference on the subject for years to come."--Stan Liebowitz, Dallas Morning News "A compelling book with enough hard evidence that even politicians may have to stop and pay attention. More Guns, Less Crime is an exhaustive analysis of the effect of gun possession on crime rates."--James Bovard, Wall Street Journal "John Lott documents how far 'politically correct' vested interests are willing to go to denigrate anyone who dares disagree with them. Lott has done us all a service by his thorough, thoughtful, scholarly approach to a highly controversial issue."--Milton Friedman

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
One Introduction	1	(20)
Two How to Test the Effects of Gun Control	21	(15)
Three Gun Ownership, Gun Laws, and the Data on Crime	36	(14)
Four Concealed-Handgun Laws and Crime Rates: The Empirical Evidence	50	(47)
Five The Victims and the Benefits from Protection	97	(20)
Six What Determines Arrest Rates and the Passage of Concealed-Handgun Laws?	117	(5)
Seven The Political and Academic Debate	122	(36)
Eight Some Final Thoughts	158	(9)
Appendixes	167	(18)
Notes	185	(32)
Bibliography	217	(4)
Index	221