"I'd prefer relatively neutral sources for the data, like the FBI Crime Stats for firearm stats or the NITSA or NIIHS for the vehicle information."
Cool. Here are some FBI numbers from 2005. The seven least violent states are all shall-issue right-to-carry (RTC). Of the seven most violent states, three are non-RTC (includes D.C.) Since about 75% of all states are RTC, 43% of the worst being non-RTC makes these states over-represented at the unpleasant end. The five states with the lowest murder rate are RTC, but two of the five worst are non-RTC. The eleven states with the lowest robbery rate are RTC, but of the eleven worst, 5 are non-RTC. Nine of 10 states with the lowest assault rates are RTC, while 3 of 10 with the highest rates are non-RTC. Overall, non-RTC states average 27.8% higher violent crime rates, most notably 43.8% higher murder and 85% higher robbery rates, than RTC states. Here are some more interesting FBI stats from 2009 an d 2010. Violent crime rates fell 4.4% during the first six months of 2009. Murder rates actual fell 9%. During the same time period and the period leading up to it, gun sales surged (fearing an Obama assault on the 2nd amendment) Murders in the U.S. have decreased steadily since 2006, dropping from 15,087 to 12,996. In 2009, FBI background checks for guns increased by 30 percent over the previous year, while firearms sales in large retail outlets increased by almost 40 percent. DC, which arguably has the tightest gun controls, had the highest murder rate in the nation at 16 per 1000. Correlation does not imply causation, but it is interesting. Especially considering that there is no correlation what so ever between more guns and more violence J - Ive pledged that I will not sign health insurance reform as badly as I think its necessary, I wont sign it if that reform adds even one dime to our deficit. - Barrack O ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:347735 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
