Is there any statistical data on how many times a gun has been used for self-defense vs

[julialnyc]

Is there any statistical data on how many times a gun has been used for self-defense vs violent crime?

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. No.

[davepc]

2. There's a ton of it. All highly disputed.

The Department of Justice in 1994 had a study. Guns in America: National Survey on Private Ownership and Use of Firearms

They claim 1.5 million annual defensive gun uses.

http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/165476.pdf

A guy by the name of Gary Kleck who is professor at Florida State did a study in 1993, he came up with a 2 million annul "defensive gun uses".

Something called the National Crime Victimization Survey also done in 1993 found 108,000.

Other various studies have come up with numbers in the high six figures into the low millions.

[DonP]

3. For definition purposes

In Kleck's study a defensive gun use can be as basic as showing an alleged attacker the weapon and then they flee the scene then all the way up to firing the gun.

If I recall, actual firing of a gun for defensive purposes was relatively limited. Usually just letting an attacker know you are serious about defending yourself send them away looking for less threatening pickings.

[davepc]

6. That's one problem with all the studies.

Defensive Gun Use is a vague term. It can mean anything from brandishing and scaring off an attacker to shooting an assailant.

Flashing the gun probably wont be reported to the police. a shooting will be.

[femmedem]

4. There is some info here:

http://www.bradycampaign.org/facts/issues/?page=home

[davepc]

5. The Kellermann study cited by the Brady Campaign is notoriously shoody in its methodology.

If an individual entered a home he had no right to be in, and used a firearm he *brought with him* to shoot people in the home...under the Kellerman methodology the shooting was caused by a gun in the home. Even if no firearm had existed in the home previous.

Thats where they get the "more likely to be shot by a gun in the home" etc.

[femmedem]

8. Thanks for that info.

Talk about skewed. And I apologize for not responding earlier. I wasn't at my computer much yesterday.

[ends_dont_justify]

7. That depends who you ask

In which case, it means it's something you need to go based on your personal feeling...you'll never get the same answer from groups of different viewpoints.