Do More Gun Owners = More Homicides?

Do states with higher gun ownership rates generally have higher homicide rates? See if you know the correct answer by watching this video.Show more

For thorough documentation of the facts in the video, go to: https://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.fourexamples.asp

Here’s an online quiz to test your friends on this question: https://www.justfactsdaily.com/question-of-the-day/292046

In the wake of mass shootings, politicians and journalists are quick to make sweeping statements about gun violence. But as with many other issues, these influential people tend to oversimplify or are flat-out wrong.

So no matter where you stand on the gun control debate, there are numerous claims that deserve a closer look.

Take this popular one, for example: “States with weak gun violence prevention laws and higher rates of gun ownership have the highest overall gun death rates in the nation.”

That was a mouth full. Let’s break this core claim down.

Because we’re about JUST FACTS, let’s replace the subjective phrase “weak gun violence prevention laws” with some more concrete, like gun ownership rates.

Also, measuring only gun deaths accounts for murders committed with guns but fails to account for lives saved with guns. So let’s focus on the primary issue, which is the overall rate of violent deaths.

Now for Just Facts’ Question of the Week: Do states with higher gun ownership rates generally have higher homicide rates?

Yes or No?

Take your best shot.

The answer is no.

Data from the FBI and the journal Injury Prevention show that state gun ownership rates and homicide rates are disparate and poorly correlated.

This is very important because, as the chart shows, many states with higher gun ownership rates also have the lowest murder rates, and vice versa. As you can see, there is no clear association between gun ownership rates and murder rates.

To examine the documentation for this and many other facts that debunk common talking points on both sides of the gun control debate, go to: https://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.fourexamples.asp