Title: Relative Frequency of Offensive & Defensive Gun Uses: Results From a National Survey

Publication Date: January 2000

What does it say?

This study compares rates of offensive and defensive use of guns using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey and data from a private survey. It was found that “criminal gun use is far more common than self-defense gun use.”

The study’s survey found that the number of respondents claiming to be victims of gun violence outnumbered those claiming to have used a gun in self-defense by more than 4 to 1. This rose to 6 to 1 when a strict definition of what constitutes a genuine act of self-defense was used.

In addition the study found that guns are used far more often to threaten and intimidate than defend against crime. “There are many instances of gun use, often for intimidation, that are not reported to the police and may not appear in official crime statistics.”

How can I use it?

Use this study to challenge the myth that guns make us safer. In order to protect families from unnecessary gun violence, we need to require universal background checks for all gun sales, including those at gun shows and give law enforcement discretion over the issuing of permits to carry guns in public. 

Citation

Hemenway, David and Deborah Azrael., “The Relative Frequency of Offensive and Defensive Gun Uses: Results From a National Survey,” Violence and Victims, 15(3) (2000): 257-272

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