NCJ Number
169418
Journal
Criminology Volume: 35 Issue: 4 Dated: (November 1997) Pages: 629-658
Date Published
1997
Length
30 pages
Annotation
Data from a survey of 539 residents of Cincinnati were used to assess various explanations of gun ownership.
Abstract
The 1,000 surveys were mailed to 500 males and 500 females ages 21 or over. Responses came from 544 people. Results revealed that gender and childhood socialization into a gun culture are significantly related to the possession of guns for protection or sports. In contrast, only protective gun ownership appears to be linked to crime-related factors. Conservative crime ideology and concern about the relative level of crime in the immediate neighborhood increases gun ownership for defensive purposes. In contrast, informal collective security in the form of the belief that neighbors will provide assistance against criminal victimization reduces protective gun ownership. Findings indicated that protective gun ownership appears to be based not only in socialization experiences but also in crime-related attitudes and feelings about safety. Tables, footnotes, appended explanation of measures used to test explanations of protective gun ownership, and 49 references (Author abstract modified)