The Daily Static
  The Daily Static
UF Archives
Register
UF Membership
Ad Free Site
Postcards
Community
Geekfinder
UFie Gear
Advertise on UF
Forum Rules
& FAQ

Username

Password


Create a New Account

  
 

Back to UserFriendly Strip Comments Index
Question for the people in the UK: by SnArL2008-02-13 10:47:58
  Huhwha? by krikkert2008-02-13 10:54:06
    How is this not relevant? by SnArL2008-02-13 11:05:45
      And how many of those assaults were lethal? by krikkert2008-02-13 11:11:28
        Meh, I could kill a deer with a sharpened stick. by RetiQlum22008-02-13 11:17:34
          The only problem I can see with that is by Vidi2008-02-13 11:27:24
            Maybe, maybe not by DesertRat662008-02-13 11:48:02
              I think you may be missing one important point. by Peace_man2008-02-13 12:03:10
                You are so wrong, again. by lheggland2008-02-13 12:09:50
                  Wait. It looks like maybe you are moving the by Peace_man2008-02-13 12:27:00
                    What?! by lheggland2008-02-13 12:40:10
                      Ah, so we ARE talking about violent crime? by Peace_man2008-02-13 12:51:03
                        The problem with that belief is that it is wrong. by lheggland2008-02-13 12:53:55
                          Which belief are you addressing? by Peace_man2008-02-13 13:00:56
                            "proliferation of guns" (n/t) by lheggland2008-02-13 13:02:19
                              You believe that a proliferation of guns by Peace_man2008-02-13 14:54:38
                                I believe it's irrelevant in the way you word it by DesertRat662008-02-13 15:03:46
                                I don't know who has been feeding you lies. by Peace_man2008-02-13 15:32:15
                                can you back that up? by subbywan2008-02-13 15:51:16
                                Without wishing to get involved in a holy war here by AndyA 2008-02-13 16:09:24
The statement that "On average areas with higher percentages of gun ownership have lower crime rates." would seem to me to be both a safe statement to make and highly misleading.

The areas of highest gun ownership rates tend to be the more rural areas. People living in big cities and urban areas tend to be less well armed.
However crime rates are generally highest in urban areas, all other things being equal there is a very strong correlation between crime rate and population density.

Just from those two generalisations it is clear that on average crime rates will be lower in areas with a larger percentage of the population owning firearms. That doesn't automatically mean that arming the urban population will reduce crimes in those environments.
Before you can make any direct link between rates of firearm ownership and crime rates you need to control for things like population density, local laws etc... And guess what, adjusting the data to allow for that sort of thing is sufficiently hand wavy that you can make a fairly good case in either direction if you try hard enough.
[ Reply ]
                                Agreed. Which is exactly why I asked for sources by subbywan2008-02-13 16:11:53
                                Use Maryland by joecrouse2008-02-13 22:17:59

 

[Todays Cartoon Discussion] [News Index]

Come get yer ARS (Account Registration System) Source Code here!
All images, characters, content and text are copyrighted and trademarks of J.D. Frazer except where other ownership applies. Don't do bad things, we have lawyers.
UserFriendly.Org and its operators are not liable for comments or content posted by its visitors, and will cheerfully assist the lawful authorities in hunting down script-kiddies, spammers and other net scum. And if you're really bad, we'll call your mom. (We're not kidding, we've done it before.)