Guns as a deterent

[branford]

14. Here's the CDC sponsored study.

It reviews a wide range of research from all sides of the gun debate.

Draw your own conclusions.

Priorities for a Public Health Research Agenda to Reduce the Threat of Firearm-Related Violence” (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, June, 2013)
http://www.nap.edu/read/18319/chapter/1

“Almost all national survey estimates indicate that defensive gun uses by victims are at least as common as offensive uses by criminals, with estimates of annual uses ranging from about 500,000 to more than 3 million per year…in the context of about 300,000 violent crimes involving firearms in 2008.”

See also this interesting article from Slate.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/human_nature/2013/06/handguns_suicides_mass_shootings_deaths_and_self_defense_findings_from_a.html