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How Often Do People Use Guns In Self-Defense?
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
Website: http://www.marktaff.com

There are 3 comments on this story
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The latest data show that people use guns for self-defense only rarely. According to a Harvard University analysis of figures from the National Crime Victimization Survey, people defended themselves with a gun in nearly 0.9 percent of crimes from 2007 to 2011.

David Hemenway, who led the Harvard research, argues that the risks of owning a gun outweigh the benefits of having one in the rare case where you might need to defend yourself.

"The average person ... has basically no chance in their lifetime ever to use a gun in self-defense," he tells Here & Now's Robin Young. "But ... every day, they have a chance to use the gun inappropriately. They have a chance, they get angry. They get scared."

Comment by: MarkHamTownsend (4/13/2018)

Liar David Hemenway is still being treated as a legitimate researcher? The antigunners are in full blown super jihad mode.
It's disgusting.

Comment by: PHORTO (4/14/2018)

Waddaya expect from NPR?

They ignore the fact that most defensive gun uses never involve a shot being fired. That's what's disingenuous about Hemenway's 'analysis'.

The goal isn't firing the gun or wounding/killing anybody, it's TO STOP THE FRIGGIN' CRIME. Most often that happens as soon as the defensive gun comes out.

If Hemenway (and NPR) really wanted to reach a realistic estimate of successful defensive gun uses, he'd research the local stories nationally for such events over, say, a six-month period, and extrapolate to achieve a fair estimate.

But that ain't his goal, now is it?

Comment by: jac (4/14/2018)

Obviously, this is not a valid study with the results manipulated to support an agenda.

As far as the risks of owning a gun, my risk is virtually zero. I am extremely familiar with every gun I own, I adhere to all gun safety practices to the extreme, and my guns are not accessible to anyone but myself.

Having fired thousands of rounds I have never had an accident and I am not suicidal.

There are people in this world that would kill you for the few dollars in your wallet. How can this moron say that owing a gun makes me less safe?