Crime Emergency Declared In Capital

[nukeman]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/12/D8IQH9P05.html

A crime emergency has been declared in our nations capital due to armed robbery, sexual assualt, and even murder. All of which has occured on our National Mall. This is happening to tourist in our capital. This is beyond disgusting this is a national disgrace.

Our "leaders" need to take action immediately and clean this filth!! I for one can not tolerate this type of embarassment to the world. What kind of message does this send to the world when we cant even protect anyone in our nations capital.

We really need to start cleaning house and take out all of these stupid punks that think they can get away with this..

 

[5stringJeff]

The solution is to allow D.C. citizens to arm themselves legally again. It is well documented that higher gun ownership leads to lower crime, and gun ownership has been practically banned in DC for decades.

 

[1549]

The solution is to allow D.C. citizens to arm themselves legally again. It is well documented that higher gun ownership leads to lower crime, and gun ownership has been practically banned in DC for decades.

One of the first things taught in a data research class is this: correlations alone can not be used as proof.

Where are crimes most common: areas of high population density and areas of low income. Typically urban areas.

Most legal gun carriers do not live in these areas. So are the guns keeping crime away from the areas in which legal gun owners live? Or is there little crime in these areas because population density is not very high?

There are just so many factors.

I was randomly assulted at school last year by a few hoodlums. Three thugs came up from behind me and beat the crap out of me. I assume they were looking for money (Being a broke college student, I didn't have any).

Now lets pretend I was carrying a gun at the time. These three guys were on me like cheese on a cracker. The whole thing was in fast foreward. They ran up from behind me, and immediately directed there punches at my head so that I was shocked, confused, and in a general state of "what the hell is going on". Then they knocked me over, did more punching, kicking, etc. During this phase, one quickly went through my pockets...he didn't find anything to their liking...and just like that they were gone. It all happened so fast that it was hard to even shield my head. The humerous part is that they ran away shouting "we gotta wallet!". My wallet however was sitting in a pair of dirty jeans back in my dorm room.

Say I was able to pull out the gun. One of the guys would have easily been able to knock it away. I would have probably been shot with my own bullets.

I keep a baseball bat in my room in case an intruder comes in (in such a scenario, I might be able to capture the element of surprise), but in the case of street violence: the best bet is duck and cover. The last thing you want to do is pull out a weapon...considering the offenders probably have weapons of their own.

 

[Dr Grump]

I've had this argument so many times on messageboards. Higher gun ownership has no correlation towards lower crime. Australia and Britain have lower crime rates and lower gun ownership.

I agree with 1549...it's more to do with the type of suburb, inner city dwelling, socio-economic group than anything...........

 

[dilloduck]

I've had this argument so many times on messageboards. Higher gun ownership has no correlation towards lower crime. Australia and Britain have lower crime rates and lower gun ownership.

I agree with 1549...it's more to do with the type of suburb, inner city dwelling, socio-economic group than anything...........

We're not talking about other countries--we're talking about America. So if I take away all your money and move you to the inner city are you going to feel this compulsion to run right out and kill someone????

 

[OCA]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/12/D8IQH9P05.html

A crime emergency has been declared in our nations capital due to armed robbery, sexual assualt, and even murder. All of which has occured on our National Mall. This is happening to tourist in our capital. This is beyond disgusting this is a national disgrace.

Our "leaders" need to take action immediately and clean this filth!! I for one can not tolerate this type of embarassment to the world. What kind of message does this send to the world when we cant even protect anyone in our nations capital.

We really need to start cleaning house and take out all of these stupid punks that think they can get away with this..

Lol I live here and talk about overhyping something! Its not that big a deal, the police will catch the perps and it will still be a beautiful scene down on the mall.

 

[5stringJeff]

One of the first things taught in a data research class is this: correlations alone can not be used as proof.

Where are crimes most common: areas of high population density and areas of low income. Typically urban areas.

Most legal gun carriers do not live in these areas. So are the guns keeping crime away from the areas in which legal gun owners live? Or is there little crime in these areas because population density is not very high?

There are just so many factors.

I understand the difference between correlation and cause. And I've seen more than enough statistics that show that stricter gun control laws cause more crime. Here are two sites to get you started.

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:...tes&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a
http://www.nraila.org/media/misc/fables.html#FABLE IV:

 

[Little-Acorn]

Say I was able to pull out the gun. One of the guys would have easily been able to knock it away. I would have probably been shot with my own bullets.

.....but in the case of street violence: the best bet is duck and cover. The last thing you want to do is pull out a weapon...considering the offenders probably have weapons of their own.

Could be true once the game starts. But in a place like DC, the perps KNOW you are probably not armed... and neither are any bystanders. Cops may be armed, but the perps probably made sure there were no cops around when they did their thing.

And they knew this, because DC law forbade virtally all law-abiding citizens from carrying.

But say you ar in a city where concealed carry is permitted for everyone (I'd like to find a city like that :-/ ). Even in such a case, the potential perps know that most people STILL don't carry... but a few probably do. Maybe their potential victim, or maybe one or two bystanders, who knows. But the probability of someone having a gun at or near the scene of the crime, is a lot higher than in DC. And the perp has no way of knowing which direction the "Freeze, dirtbag!" order (or the bullet) might come from.

I suggest that in such a city, crime will go down. Not because perps are getting shot, but because they know they MIGHT get shot, either by the victim or by one of the bystanders. And some of them will think it over, and decide to change jobs. Or at least move to a city where they are less likely to face a gun from an unexpected direction.

Crime doesn't go down because victims shoot perps. Crime goes down because perps MIGHT get shot, by a bystander or by the victim himself, and so the perp never attempts the crime in the first place. Sure, a few might try it anyway, but the overall crime rate is lower.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

The solution is to allow D.C. citizens to arm themselves legally again. It is well documented that higher gun ownership leads to lower crime, and gun ownership has been practically banned in DC for decades.

That does nothing for all the tourists, the majority of who flew to DC and therefore are unarmed.

 

[5stringJeff]

I've had this argument so many times on messageboards. Higher gun ownership has no correlation towards lower crime. Australia and Britain have lower crime rates and lower gun ownership.

I agree with 1549...it's more to do with the type of suburb, inner city dwelling, socio-economic group than anything...........

Wrong. Britian's crime rates, in particular, have gone higher since they've slapped down strict gun control laws:
http://www.nraila.org/media/misc/fables.html#FABLE XIII: