Gun crime statistics by US state: latest data, Enjoy.

[littlemissmartypants]

Spreadsheet:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AonYZs4MzlZbdGhycDRPQlN1dTBoMzJWOTk0Uk9DRVE&hl=en

Interactive US MAP:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/interactive/2011/sep/27/gun-crime-map-statistics

[gejohnston]

1. on 2010 murders

look at columns L and M, why does DC have more gun murders per capita and a higher percentage of firearms in murders compared to Vermont, Wyoming, and other lax gun laws? Vermont has the laxest gun laws in the US, yet only about 28 percent of their murders were with guns.
Under robberies look at I.

You forgot Florida statistics for 2010 murders. I'm guessing its waiting period and open carry ban doesn't make it more civilized than Wyoming, Vermont, and West Virginia any more than DC's Kafkaesque licensing and registration maze does there.

[safeinOhio]

2. Strange numbers and hard to say what the causes are.

Look at column K. More likely to be a victim of a gun assault in Vermont than Illinois. Hawaii has better numbers across the board than many southern states with way more relaxed laws.

Looks like every state is different for different reasons, making gun laws a state issue more sensible.

[gejohnston]

4. the south

also has a greater gap of income inequality. Hawaii isn't on any drug trafficking roots as far as I can tell. Since USVI has stricter gun laws than Hawaii, has a murder rate in the neighborhood of 60/100K. Neighboring British Virgin Islands does not have the astronomical murder rate.

[Flossl33ch]

13. Silly flatlander

In VT in 2010 there were 7 homicides, 2 were commited with a firearm. Vermont has no Gun Control laws of any kind what so ever, it's actually illegal for a town or county to pass any law that restricts gun ownership in any way at all in vermont, in 2010 there was 852 violent crimes, therefore you have a .002347% chance of being killed by a gun out of all of VT's violent crime in 2010 add to that you have a .00136% chance of being a victim of violent crime in VT. Do some research before you rag on my state.

[safeinOhio]

19. Kind of insulting and over the top

for a new poster. I'm not saying you are a NRA right-wing plant or anything.

Now about your state that I was not ragging on in any way.

http://www.wcax.com/story/7942843/poll-supports-new-gun-laws
A new WCAX News poll* found Vermont voters favor enacting new state laws that would restrict the sale and ownership of guns.
The one simple question they were asked was: Would you favor or oppose the state passing new legislation to restrict sale or ownership of guns?
Those in favor prevailed by a more than 3 to 2 margin-- 57 percent in favor, 35 percent opposed, 8 percent not sure.

Perhaps it's time for you to move to a new state.

[bubbayugga]

14. when your sample size is a grand total of 4, it's impossible to draw conclusions

especially the conclusion that you're more likely to be a victim of gun assault in Vermont than Illinois. That conclusion is ridiculous bordering on crazy.

[safeinOhio]

20. Hey bubba

You missed my conclusion.

"Looks like every state is different for different reasons, making gun laws a state issue more sensible."

want to address that?

[bubbayugga]

21. that conclusion is wrong too.

the underlying cause of most homicide is the same in all states for the same reasons. Not to be confrontational with you.

[safeinOhio]

22. I'd suggest population density

can play a factor along with economic factors. Throw in illegal drugs, some states see more than others, gangs.

Homicide can include accidental shootings, that's why it is illegal to fire a gun in a populated area as opposed to firing one in a rural area. Some states are way more populated than others.

[slackmaster]

24. The numbers are really misleading. California murder victims are more likely to have been shot...

...than are murder victims in Texas. But the overall murder rate in Texas is higher.

This kind of data is interesting for discussion but next to useless if one were to try to decide where to live based on the likelihood of being a crime victim. Your personal demographics - Age, socioeconomic status, gender, race, etc. and where specifically you live within a state are a lot more important than the state as a whole.

[safeinOhio]

3. DC is a city not a state.

Burlington has less than 170,000 population and that is the largest city. Compare it to other cities of that size.

I'd say population density has more to do with gun crime than anything else.

[gejohnston]

5. DC is a federal district

and I don't think population density has much do with it. Burlington, VT, has fewer than 43,000.

[jimmy the one]

15. flash, DC is a city, not a state

johnston: DC is a federal district and I don't think population density has much do with it. Burlington, VT, has fewer than 43,000

Note how johnston blows smoke, saying DC is a federal district.
To compare DC with vermont is inane. DC is a city - don't try to tapdance with federal district when comparing it to STATES, DC is a city, it is listed as one of the ~35 largest CITIES in the USA... as 'safe in ohio' noted, with a population density of 5,000 per sq mile, while vermont has about 70 per sq mile. Burlington of course higher but 7% the population of DC.
DC is included in state statistics only because without DC stats, the national figures would be incomplete. But to make any comparison between States & DC is generally meaningless, the only exception might be rhode island with pop density ~1,000.

johnston: on 2010 murders look at columns L and M, why does DC have more gun murders per capita and a higher percentage of firearms in murders compared to Vermont, Wyoming, and other lax gun laws?

BECAUSE DC IS A CITY THE OTHERS ARE STATES.

You do have a problem with presenting facts, johnston, it's what we've come to expect.

[gejohnston]

16. since the population of Wyoming and Vermont is about the same as DC,

that is relevant how? BTW, Washington is a city. District of Columbia is a federal district.

[jimmy the one]

17. density

johnston: Since the population of Wyoming and Vermont is about the same as DC, that is relevant how?

wyoming:.. 97,813 sq mi .......... 6 per sq mile
vermont:... 9,615 sq mi ............ 67 per sq mile
DC ............68 sq mi.. ....10,000 per sq mile (this varies due the years)

johnston: BTW, Washington is a city. District of Columbia is a federal district.

For statistical comparative purposes, washington DC is considered a CITY, only a clown would think otherwise.
In our current state of the art of crime technology johnston, which you are not even up to speed, we compare cities to cities, not federal district distractions to cities.

I never have put anyone on ignore before, but I'm seriously considering it with you, johnston, due your ridiculous posting nature.

[gejohnston]

18. that's the best you can do?

bitch about tap dancing and threaten to put on ignore. Your loss. At least I won't be tempted to waste my time trying pick flies out of word salads.

[SecularMotion]

6. I agree that population density is a big factor in gun crime

also proximity to states with lax gun laws is another big factor.

[gejohnston]

7. but the states with the laxer laws

generally have lower rates including those demonized as export states. I fail to see how being near next to a state with laxer laws has anything to do with it. Oh wait, Vermont is surrounded with states with stricter laws, and has a lower crime rate and only 28 percent of all murders involved firearms. Are you saying criminals generally buy from the next state? Out of the states where firearms were used in less than half of all murders, Hawaii is the only state that could be described as strict.

[SecularMotion]

9. I am saying that there are many factors involved in gun crime rates.

There seems to be little correlation between a state's gun laws and the gun crime rate in that state or specific cities in the state.

Each city or region seems to have unique set of factors which affects the gun crime rate. Trying to attribute gun crime rates to one or two factors is futile.

[gejohnston]

10. I'm saying

being next door to a state with laxer laws is not a big factor, or a factor at all. You were the one that said it was a big factor. I am curious, because of the irony, you are not only less likely to be murdered, but less likely to be murdered with a gun in Vermont and Wyoming than DC. The difference in murder rate, I get the infinite factors. The differences in the percentage of guns used in murders is interesting.

[SecularMotion]

11. There is evidence that black markets for illegal guns in urban areas

are fed by nearby states with weaker gun laws and in the case of Chicago, it is fed by weaker gun laws within the state. This is yet another factor that can not be applied to every city or region.

[gejohnston]

12. most of the crime guns are quite old

but Illinois has a licensing scheme, you can't buy a gun without a FOID. The average crime gun is over 10 years old from its last purchase from an FFL. Even if Chicago had the same laws as Rockford, I don't picture the average gangster or drug dealer going to the police station to apply for a FOID, let alone pass a NICS. That isn't to say straw purchasing doesn't exist, it does.
http://www.atf.gov/statistics/download/trace-data/2011/2011-trace-data-illinois.pdf

Question is how do you deal with trafficking? From what I understand, Canadian local PDs have "guns and gangs" units that work with the RCMP to deal with trafficking. To what degree local cops can enforce federal laws in the US, one would have to ask an expert in the area. I do think the ATF (and the IRS before the ATF was created) is not up to the task. Part of it is the corporate culture that developed when it was still part of the IRS (that is where the tax man sent the idiots, racists, people with sexual harassment complaints against them, and other problem kids). Most of those assholes are now retired, the ones left are in senior management. Even if they were a more professional force, they don't have the resources and never did. Before they moved to DoJ, IRS and the Secret Service got the big money and cool toys in the Treasury Dept, but ATF was treated like shit. That applies to treasury secretaries of both parties.

Before we add more laws, I think we should seriously review current ones and sentencing guidelines. Felon in possession is a mandatory min of five years. I think it should go back to the original 1938 law of up to five years, or amend it to only violent felons. I would up the sentencing guidelines for straw purchasers, who can get up to ten years but most likely will get probation. Why? Is it sensible or reasonable that someone inheriting mom or dad's skeet gun get five years, even if his conviction was pot possession 30 years ago?

Also, everyone bitches about .50 BMG rifles. Because of the high energy (foot pounds of energy) I would reclassify them as destructive devices under the NFA. If you can afford ten grand for a rifle and ten bucks a round, you can afford a tax stamp. In return, I was change the short barreled rifle and shotgun regulations. Under current law, a single shot rifle or shot gun with a 15 inch barrel, is as strictly regulated as a machine gun. That's stupid.

[ManiacJoe]

8. Population density is a big factor in all crime.

[shawn00m]

23. Missing Date

Where is Florida and Alabama? They're missing from this data.