Submitted by Yardbroom
In recent weeks guns have been a topical issue in Barbados, however this submission is not about individual cases or specific persons, as those will be investigated by authorities vested with that responsibility. I have taken a general approach to gun ownership, its impact on society and the psychology which underpins it.
First we should take account of what are established facts arrived at through research and rigorous examination of available figures on gun related homicides.
“Homicide rates tend to be related to firearm ownership levels. Everything else being equal, a reduction in the percentage of households owning firearms should occasion a drop in the homicide rate” – Thomas Gabor, Professor of Criminology – University of Ottawa.
“The level of gun ownership world-wide is directly related to murder and suicide rates specifically to the level of death by gunfire.” – Professor Martin Killias
If the more guns available in a specific society show a correlation between gun ownership and rates of homicide and suicide; why do private citizens feel safe owning guns. Apart from sporting guns and guns used against vermin and wild animals, is there a need for a personal weapon, except for law enforcement officers and the military. The argument is often made that there are criminals out there -in society- and guns are necessary to protect family and property.
However, evidence suggest that countries where there is less gun ownership you are actually safer; the idea that you are safer in a country because you own a gun is often not borne out by factual evidence.
Deaths Involving Firearms, per 100 000 Persons by Country (1997) – International Firearms Statistics
| Country | Total Homicide | Homicide Involving Firearms | Total Suicide |
| Jamaica | 31.60 | 18.23 | 1.46 |
| South Africa | 64.64 | 26.23 | |
| T&T | 9.48 | 3.42 | 8.08 |
| UK | 1.40 | 0.13 | 7.55 |
| US | 8.95 | 6.24 | 11.54 |
| Brazil | 9.86 | 27.26 | 0.23 |
Let us examine the United States and the United Kingdom. “A Home Office Study published in 2007 reported that gun crime in England and Wales remains a relatively rare event”. In 2005/6 the police in England and Wales reported 50 gun homicides, a rate of 0.1 illegal gun deaths per 100 000 of population. Only 6.6% of homicides involved the use of a firearm”.
By way of international comparison, in 2004 the police in the United States reported 9,326 gun homicides. The overall homicide rates per 100 000 ( regardless of weapon type) reported by the United Nations for 1999 were 4.5 for the US and 1.45 in England and Wales.
Legal gun owners often say we need to protect ourselves against illegal gun owning criminals. “In 2004 36.5% of Americans reported having a gun in their home and in 1997, 40% of Americans reported having a gun in their home”. The General Social Survey (GSS) Data on Firearm Ownership. Despite the high gun ownership in America the homicide rates are alarmingly high, are Americans safer?
It is for Law enforcement agencies to remove the illegal guns from society, by detection and surveillance. It is then incumbent on the Courts to impose draconian fines and custodial sentences on those who transgress the law. Criminals should be in no doubt what the penalties are for being in possession of an illegal weapon. Then the believed reason for having a legal weapon would disappear over time and we would all have safer societies.
For those who believe their personal guns will keep them safe, I would only add that South Africa has the second highest violent crime rate in the world and 98% of gun crime is performed with illegal (unlicensed ) weapons. The priority should always be harness our resources to stop the criminals from acquiring illegal guns.
In South Africa there is much debate about gun ownership – naturally because of its history there is a racial dimension – on the 1st July 2004 a new Firearms Control Act came into effect. “dealers who were selling 400 firearms a month have now dropped to three”. They have made a start.
We must as a matter of priority take personal guns out of society, I believe in time we will all be safer; the Courts have a vital role to play and they should be given a powerful remit to do just that.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.