Monday, January 3, 2011

Weapons aren't the problem

Just having a look at causes of death and crime rates in Australia. The latest figures I can find are from 2009.

Here are the ones for weapon use.

Apparently:

In 2009, a weapon was used in 77% of attempted murders, 66% of murders and 43% of robberies (Table 2.6).

A knife was the most common type of weapon used in committing these offences: 37% of attempted murder victims; 36% of murder victims; and 19% of robbery victims were subjected to an offence involving a knife.

A firearm was involved in 18% of attempted murders, 12% of murders and 7% of robbery offences.

A high proportion of sexual assault offences (98%), kidnapping/abduction offences (83%) and over half of robbery offences (57%) committed did not involve the use of a weapon.


(Emphasis mine)

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So even if we did get rid of all weapons - including knives and guns - crime rates won't change much.

So if it's not the weapon, it's ???

2 comments:

Old NFO said...

Excellent point Julie, once again, only the bad guys have guns, because they DON'T obey laws the rest of us do... and they WILL find a weapon of some kind... What also happens is that John and Jane Q Public are unarmed and the criminals know it!

Suldog said...

I'm always amused (in a bitter sort of way) at those folks who believe that getting rid of such-and-such a weapon will make such-and-such a crime magically disappear. Sick people who wish to do sick things will always find implements to help them do said sick things. Get rid of one, they'll dig up another.