NCJ Number
103090
Date Published
1986
Length
33 pages
Annotation
This study examines the existence and nature of correlations between violent crime and gun ownership, the sex of gun owner, and the type of gun owned.
Abstract
Illinois requires a Firearms Owners Identification Card (FOIC) before a firearm may be legally possessed. FOIC data encompass owner sex, age, and county of residence. This study obtained data as of 1976. Data on gun types owned were secured from the statewide telephone surveys conducted in 1976, 1977, and 1981. County rates were developed for three ownership patterns: handgun only, handgun and long gun, and long gun only. Bivariate analysis indicates that long-gun-only ownership was negatively related to violent crime, though only among male owners. Among males, handgun-and-long-gun ownership was less negative than long-gun-only ownership. Handgun-only ownership was unrelated to violent crime. Male gun ownership was negatively related to violent crime, suggesting that male ownership reduces violent crime; and female gun ownership was positively related to violent crime, suggesting that an increase in violent crime causes women to buy guns for protection. Multivariate analysis of general ownership and ownership types wiped out both male negative and female positive correlations when the ownership variables were used in a model of county variations in violent crime derived from earlier Illinois research. The exception was murder and firearms murder. Total overall ownership and both male and female ownership were positively related to firearms murder rates. 7 tables and 3 footnotes.