More Police die by gunshot violence in States that have more guns

[packman]

https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=&w=1484


Seems like it should be obvious, but you'll never hear a right-winger talk about it.

"late last year, [b]researchers at Harvard and elsewhere discovered an alarming fact: Police officers are much more likely to be killed in the line of duty in states with high rates of gun ownership.


...."The results (of the study) were shocking: line-of-duty homicide rates among police officers were more than three times higher in states with high gun ownership compared with the low gun ownership states. Between 1996 and 2010, in other words, there were 0.31 officer fatalities for every 10,000 employed officers in low gun ownership states. But there were 0.95 fatalities per 10,000 officers in the high gun ownership states.

The study factored out overall rates of violent and property crime, the racial and economic demographics of the different states, income, education, alcohol consumption and rural/urban population breakdowns.

And this may be why Repukes are so set against allowing federal funding to study gun crimes and violence - they could not justify the results.

More at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/08/more-police-officers-die-on-the-job-in-states-with-more-guns/

[guillaumeb]

1. But more guns make us safer?

Not just a GOP talking point. Even at DU.

[Iggo]

2. Wow, that's weird. More shootings where there's more guns, you say?

[packman]

3. Yes, I know it sounds axiomatic and sarcasm worthy

But, the study and read makes a clear case - less guns, less violence and that is the heart of the post.

[jmg257]

5. Or none, no LE deaths, at all - seems to depend on the state...

The states with the most homicides were California (n = 77), Texas (n = 70), Florida (n = 39), Georgia (n = 36), and North Carolina (n = 33).

Iowa, Maine, Vermont, and Wyoming experienced zero homicides of LEOs during the study period.

Low gun states: CT, DC, HI, IL, MA, NJ, NY, RI.
High gun states: AL, AK, AR, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, OK, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, WI, WV, WY.

*Maine is 40% - similar to Georgia and Oregon.

On Edit:
California leads the nation in LE deaths, yet is #42 in ownership these days, wonder why they didn't make the "low gun state" along with all the others listed? Florida is is like #41, and also a prime LE death state, but didn't make their low gun state list either.

HUH?


http://usliberals.about.com/od/Election2012Factors/a/Gun-Owners-As-Percentage-Of-Each-States-Population.htm

40. Delaware - 25.5%
41. Florida - 24.5% (Battleground state. See Florida in 2012 Elections.)
42. California - 21.3%
42. Maryland - 21.3%
44. Illinois - 20.2%
45. New York - 18%
46. Connecticut - 16.7%
47. Rhode Island - 12.8%
48. Massachusetts - 12.6%
49. New Jersey - 12.3%
50. Hawaii - 6.7%

[jmg257]

4. Interesting. Weird that all of the states which had NO LE deaths, are high gun states.

0 deaths over 15 years, yet all have higher gun rates then Georgia & Texas.

The states with the most homicides were California (n = 77), Texas (n = 70), Florida (n = 39), Georgia (n = 36), and North Carolina (n = 33).

Iowa, Maine, Vermont, and Wyoming experienced zero homicides of LEOs during the study period.

Low gun states: CT, DC, HI, IL, MA, NJ, NY, RI.
High gun states: AL, AK, AR, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, OK, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, WI, WV, WY.

*Maine is 40% - same as Georgia and Oregon.
And California leads the nation in LE deaths, yet is #42 in ownership these days, wonder why they didn't make the "low gun state" along with all the others listed? Florida is is like #41, and also a prime LE death state, but didn't make their low gun state list either.
They got like 8 right, and stopped there, due to "population equivalence control&quot ?).

VERY confusing, this study.

"For example, Wyoming had the highest firearm ownership rate and zero LEO homicides, whereas the District of Columbia had the lowest firearm ownership rate and was in the highest quintile for homicide rates. It appeared that both the state levels of firearm prevalence and violent crimes affected the LEO homicide rate; however, further research is necessary to identify other state-level predictors of LEO homicide rates."

Huh - even they are left wondering by the numerous "outliers"...Wonder what else may be at fault here?


http://usliberals.about.com/od/Election2012Factors/a/Gun-Owners-As-Percentage-Of-Each-States-Population.htm

40. Delaware - 25.5%
41. Florida - 24.5% (Battleground state. See Florida in 2012 Elections.)
42. California - 21.3%
42. Maryland - 21.3%
44. Illinois - 20.2%
45. New York - 18%
46. Connecticut - 16.7%
47. Rhode Island - 12.8%
48. Massachusetts - 12.6%
49. New Jersey - 12.3%
50. Hawaii - 6.7%

[ThoughtCriminal]

6. You are looking at total number of fatalities rather than fatality rate

Think there might be a few more law enforcement officers in California vs. say Wyoming? The study compares risk. Your stats do not.

If you don't, at a minimum control for population, you really shouldn't even bother.

[jmg257]

7. Understood - they used the top 8 Low gun States, but left out #9 and #10 which just happen

to be in the top 4 High LE Death states...curious why that might be.

Besides that, there are at least 7 outliers (Maine, Iowa, Vt, WY, plus DC, Cali & Florida) that are quite contrary to their findings - wondering why.

As for rates, you can find that South Dakota is highest with 11.5 deaths/50,000 officers...but that's based on only 4 deaths in a 5 year period...and 3 of those 5 years had 0 deaths.

[sarisataka]

8. No need to wonder

look at the authors...