Data in gun piece disputed

Published: Friday, Sept. 15, 2006 9:03 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Marjorie Cortez's opinion piece is filled with errors ("Legislature should look again at gun law, Sept. 12). My data on right-to-carry laws have been examined by academics at more than 100 universities worldwide.

Dozens of studies have been published using this data set and the conclusion is clear: Not one single referred journal publication examining the national data has claimed that right-to-carry laws increase violent crime. While there are some papers that claim that right-to-carry laws do not affect crime, even more find evidence that right-to-carry laws reduce violent crime (for those interested, a partial list can be found here: johnrlott.tripod.com/postsbyday/RTCResearch.html). It is hard to think of academic data that have been as closely examined by as many different academics as this has been. Cortez isn't even able to accurately state the number of books that I have written on gun control.

Despite Cortez's other claims to the contrary, the vast majority of right-to-carry states, such as Utah, had adopted before my research was done and before it received any attention. The most telling response, though, is that 40 states now have right-to-carry laws and no state has moved to rescind them. On the safety issue she raises, only hundredths or thousandths of 1 percent of permit holders nationally lose their permits for any firearms-related violation, and there is not one published academic study that finds right-to-carry laws increase firearms accidents.

Story continues below
John R. Lott Jr.

dean's visiting professor

Department of Economics

State University of New York

Binghamton, N.Y.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

Utah Utes football: Utes catch couple of receivers

I hope you realize that implicit in your post is an admission that BYU fans...

So, teams are making moves, and folks want the Jazz to do the same. ...

That is all there is too it but all signs indicate the Jazz are going to pay...

LDS seminary principal arrested in sex abuse of student

You are kidding right? It's not "just churches in Utah" that have wide...

Time for leaders to lead with inspiration and not to be impressed with smooth...

I don't mind giving up Boozer. I mind locking Millsap in at PF for the next...

Utah Utes football: Utes catch couple of receivers

Posted a long time ago...dude, what are you on? It's dated July 10th. That...

I have known people that live a double life doing extreme good in an effort...

To me, Portland has paid too much money for this Paul Millsap. And my fellow...

Folks love their violence. How about a fight to the death? It's coming.

Advertisements