Guns & Crime
Gun control, policing, criminal justice, and public safety
9 topics“We just need some common sense gun control. Nobody's trying to take your guns — just keep them out of the wrong hands.”
We already have 20,000+ gun laws on the books. The problem isn't new laws — it's enforcing existing ones. Federal gun prosecutions dropped 25% between 2004 and 2020. 'Common sense' gun control always seems to restrict law-abiding citizens while criminals, by definition, ignore the laws.
“No civilian needs an AR-15. It's a weapon of war designed to kill as many people as possible.”
The AR-15 is a semi-automatic rifle — one trigger pull, one shot — functionally identical to many hunting rifles. It's the most popular rifle in America, used by millions for sport, hunting, and home defense. Rifles of all types are used in fewer than 400 homicides per year — fewer than knives or fists.
“The Second Amendment was written when people had muskets. The Founders never imagined AR-15s.”
The First Amendment was written when people had printing presses — does it not apply to the internet? The Founders also had repeating rifles, cannons, and warships in private hands. They intended citizens to be armed comparably to soldiers, not limited to obsolete weapons.
“More guns obviously means more violence. The U.S. has the most guns and the most gun violence of any developed country.”
Gun ownership increased by 50% since 1993 while gun homicides dropped by nearly half. States with the most guns don't have the most crime — Vermont and New Hampshire have high gun ownership and are among the safest states. The correlation between guns and violence is far weaker than you'd think.
“Australia banned guns and mass shootings stopped. Why can't we do what works?”
Australia's gun buyback collected about 650,000 guns. A University of Melbourne study found no statistical evidence it reduced homicides. Australia's homicide rate was already declining before the ban, and the U.S. homicide decline over the same period was actually larger — without a ban.
“Mass shootings only happen in America. We're the only country where this keeps happening.”
A Crime Prevention Research Center study of 1998-2015 data found the U.S. ranks 64th in mass shooting deaths per capita globally. Norway, France, and Finland all had higher per-capita rates. These events happen worldwide — U.S. media coverage just makes it seem uniquely American.
“We should defund the police and invest that money in communities. Policing is just state-sanctioned violence.”
Cities that cut police budgets saw immediate murder spikes — Minneapolis murders rose 72% after George Floyd. Meanwhile, 81% of Black Americans want the same or more police presence. Defunding didn't help communities; it got more people killed, mostly Black and brown victims.
“Our prison system should focus on rehabilitation, not punishment. Locking people up doesn't work — it just creates more criminals.”
Incarceration does work — crime dropped 50% from 1991-2014 as the prison population grew. A NBER study found that each additional prisoner prevents roughly 15 crimes per year through incapacitation. Rehabilitation has a role, but public safety requires removing dangerous people from communities.
“Cash bail is unfair. It means rich people go free and poor people sit in jail for the same crime.”
Bail reform sounds compassionate until you see the results. After New York eliminated cash bail for many offenses, rearrests surged 30% for released defendants. A New York judge released a man 6 times who kept committing crimes. The purpose of bail is public safety, not punishment.