More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun-Control Laws

Makes you stop and think

This book is well written and researched. It is a real eye-opener. For many years, I was on the proverbial fence about guns, leaning more to the gun-control side, especially after Columbine. I bought and read this book only because one of my pro-gun relatives challenged me to. I expected to find arguments that were emotionally stirring but baseless. Instead, I found logic, real data, sources, facts and figures; John Lott doesn't try to sway the reader through symbolism and emotion, but with facts. It was a bit frightening for me because I found myself agreeing with what was written! While I'm not ready to go out and buy a gun myself, it's made me see how important guns are to individual liberty and freedom. I don't just rubber-stamp everything that the gun control lobby says anymore. For years we've been told that 'shall-issue' concealed-carry states would turn into bloodbaths of violence and road-rage shootings, and I believed it. But so far, it hasn't happened. I would highly reccommend this book to anyone, especially those who lean towards gun control. It's a fair, balanced, and factual work.

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THE definitive piece of research work. Dr Lott explodes the myth

THE definitive piece of research work. Dr Lott explodes the myths.

Get Past The Numbers

Get past the numbers, get past the dry stats and look to the message. If you own a gun, predators will not want to target you, plain and simple. John Lott does a stellar job proving that with cold hard facts.

Excellent empirical analysis

Lott's analysis of the impact of gun carrying laws in more than 3,000 counties in the US addresses the concerns of those who inspire to ban guns in America. Lott's conclusion is insightful, analytical, and unbias.

A Must read for anti-gun, and Pro gun People.

I'm a member of the NRA and a college student who witnessed first hand a highschool shooting a few years ago. It happened in my small hometown of Springfield Oregon. The author of the book More Guns, Less Crime did an excellent job researching and writing this book. 'LONG LIVE JOHN LOTT' !!

Striking a blow for freedom and security

The previous reviewers have stated the point better than I could have but I just want to state my affirmation that John Lott has tackled the liberal gun control monster and exposed its argument as nothing more than an attack on freedom under the guise of ensuring safety. In More Guns, Less Crime, John Lott explains the results of THE most exhaustive study ever undertaken on the impact of nondiscretionary concealed hand gun (or right-to-carry) laws on violent crime. His statistically-relevent conclusion supports the common sense and Constitutionally-guaranteed notion that an armed citizenry is the best safeguard against violent crime. His work also reveals the statistically negligible positive effects of well-intentioned but wrong-headed gun control legislation like waiting periods, gun safety classes, and others. In fact, Lott shows that these laws may actually increase the incidence of violent crime by keeping guns out of the hands of vulnerable law-abiding citizens especially when a threat of violence is imminent as in the case of domestic abuse. The Founding Fathers who risked their lives for the principles embodied in the Constitution would applaud the return of freedom that this book champions.

A Must Read for Pro-gun people and Anti-Gun People Too

I bought this for one reason only. To give me verbal ammo that I can document on the issue of concealed weapons. I'll admit it, I'm an activist. This provided me with information to pass onto my Senators and Rep. I'm inspired to start a non-profit organization to mail a couple of this book to my state officals. Truely a must read for everyone pro-gun and anti-gun.

Rigorous Analysis Torpedoes Naive Antigun Assumptions

Professor Lott, an economist and statistician who has served on the US Sentencing Commission, analyzes crime and violence in terms of costs and deterrents. Potential perpetrators, even the seemingly irrational ones, take into account the risk to themselves. Increase the risk, and the crime is less likely to take place. Prof. Lott demonstrates that this simple principle operates effectively when potential victims are perceived to be able to defend themselves against assaults. Most of the book is devoted to an exhaustive statistical examination demonstrating that nondiscretionary concealed carry laws reduce rates of violent crime dramatically. Detailed replies and rebuttals to criticisms of that study are also included. Side effects concerns such as accidents and suicides are also addressed. He concludes concealed carry works, and it works well. He also devotes space to statistically debunking such citizen-disarmament panaceas as waiting periods. This is an important book for those who wish to better understand the importance of the armed citizen in general, and especially for those for whom a state 'shall-issue concealed carry' bill is an issue. Since more states have adopted concealed carry since this study, and more data has surely become available, it would be interesting to see a followup study soon.

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No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.