Walker's Proposition #30 states that attempts to ban all handguns, or certain kinds of guns, are not likely to result in a reduction in serious crime. This essay will draw upon the literature to support this assertion. Generally, it will be argued that the vast majority of individuals who legally purchase handguns or other weapons are not likely to engage in criminal behavior. Criminals û or those likely to use handguns and other weapons in the commission of a crime û tend to obtain their weapons illegally; consequently, as McCulloch (2004) noted, banning such weapon sales will have little or no deterrent effect on crime.
About one in four U.S. households currently keeps a gun in the home for self-defense (Simon, 2001). The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that there are more than 30 million loaded, unlocked guns to be found in American homes (Simon, 2001). From the perspective of those who own guns and the advocacy organizations that aggressively lobby for protection of the right to bear arms such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), there is ample proof that Americans are simply safer because they have the option of arming themselves for defensive purposes.
A recent study conducted using data from the National Crime Victimization Study reported by Lawrence Southwick (2000) analyzed the choices of potential victims and criminals with respect to weapons. Data from the study revealed that crime victims who have and use guns have both lower losses and lesser injury rates from violent crimes than do victims who do not own or do not use guns when confronted by an offender. Indeed, Southwick (2001) stated that the study strongly supports the idea that when potential crime victims are armed, it is highly likely that a community will experience both reductions in losses and injuries from crime and lower incentives for criminals to commit violent crimes and to be armed. This is a convincing research finding support...