Gee, I wonder what the consensus would be on this forum. :rofl:
DEBATE: Does Bearing Arms Ward Off Violent Criminals?
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Gee, I wonder what the consensus would be on this forum. :rofl:
DEBATE: Does Bearing Arms Ward Off Violent Criminals?
It may not ward them off, but they give you a fighting chance if one wanders your way!
I'd say that it would freak them out:
Attachment 51968
Some it will. Some it won't.
If you are asking the general question, does gun ownership ward off crime, or ward off specific crime,
then one has to compare crime rates in two different states or two different countries, by crime category.
If you are asking does open carry ward off crime, I suspect there are too few open carry folks to know. However, perhaps information can be found on crime rates in AZ v elsewhere.
If you are asking does OC protect the individual, well, we've had reports of OCers being attacked.
So "ward off" as a magic wand "wards off" doesn't seem to be assured. Common sense suggests it is a deterrent.
CC, again we have to compare crime rates and crime categories in state such as TX and PA with states such as IL and NY. Obviously a BG doesn't know if someone is CC ing and so "ward off" would seem highly improbable on an individual basis, but might be happening across a state's population as a whole.
NY, other than the city, isn't a truly valid comparison. There are a "LOT" of people with concealed carry permits in NY. Every one of my family members there has a concealed carry permit. NYC and the immediate area are hard places to get a permit, the rest of New York State, while it's expensive, and time consuming, it's possible to get a permit if you can pass the background check (they "really" do a background check - more than just the phone call).Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopyard
IL, OTOH, is a very good comparison.
That said, I think this is a very complicated question. The statistics clearly show that armed folks have better outcomes from being assaulted than unarmed folks. I think, but don't have the statistics to prove it, that being armed changes how the person packing carries themselves, and that folks who carry are more likely not to be in condition white when out and about, which may change their "victim profile rating" in the eyes of the potential assailant. I know a female (in NY) that avoided a potentially nasty situation by being aware of her surroundings, which probably happened because she was packing.
Fitch
Well the muzzle end certainly helps sway most perps' decisions
Uhhh, SHOOTING violent criminals wards them off.
PC
One of the best ways to get an answer is to ask incarcerated thugs with convictions for crimes against persons if an open carried firearm would deter them from attacking the armed person and go locate an easier target.
Voted!
Does Having a Gun in Your Home Protect You From an Intruder?
Yes - They remind potential criminals that victims can fight back. 97.57% :comeandgetsome:
No - I think having a gun in the home presents more danger than protection. 2.43%:sheep:
Same as capital punishment. It has to be common enough that there is a significant statistical possibility to merit any judgement before the commission of the crime. If 100% of murderers were sentenced to death, it would be a deterrent. As it is, with .0000001% of murderers actually put to death, it isn't. If 100% of able adults carried, it would be a deterrent. As it is, not enough do in most areas to make it a worth worrying about to most criminals.
Just voted as well. Basically still at 98% to 2%. I would suppose the 2% are very delusional and never seen first hand what a violent criminal is capable of. I pray I never have to pull my gun in a defensive situation.
I would have voted no, reading the question as a literal question, because simply having a gun in your home does NOT protect you from an intruder. But I voted yes because I knew what the question was implying. USE of a firearm, whether that use is simply pointing it at the intruder and they flee, or actually shooting them, will in most cases ward off an intruder. Of course the answer isn't simple yes or no. But in most cases, a firearm at hand will be very helpful.
Having a firearm in the house shouldn't make you feel invincible if that's what it's getting at. Yet, if I didn't have any in my home, I'd feel unprepared and vulnerable.
I agreeQuote:
Originally Posted by Hiram25
I wouldn't know the stats on whether or not carrying a weapon wards off violent criminals. I suppose that it would deter some crooks, and maybe it wouldn't for some of the real crazies. Who can say for sure?
The argument is moot as far as I'm concerned. I made the decision to own firearms and to carry one at all times. Whether or not my carrying a gun wards off a criminal intent on doing me or my wife harm depends entirely on how the criminal feels about continuing to live.
