NCJ Number
128821
Journal
Security Journal Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: (1990) Pages: 169-174
Date Published
1990
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Information from the 1989 International Crime Survey permits an international comparison of gun ownership and violent crime rates and suggests that in Switzerland and the other countries gun ownership rates have a stronger impact on the proportion of suicides and homicides committed with a gun than on predatory crimes (mugging) committed with such a weapon.
Abstract
The survey gathered data on guns owned by private households in 14 countries: United States, Canada, Australia, France, West Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Norway, Finland, and Spain. Switzerland was found to have a low homicide rate and a high suicide rate, together with widespread ownership of the military equipment needed for the country's militia. However, Switzerland has five times as many homicides committed with guns as Great Britain versus only a slightly higher non-gun homicide rate. In addition, automatic weapons can be purchased in Switzerland only under extremely restrictive conditions. Furthermore, the military weapons that are kept in Swiss households are of little use to ordinary criminals, because they are heavy and far too long to be concealed under a coat or in a case. The results indicate a substantial impact of firearms on homicide and suicide. 10 references