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A Flawed Study in JAMA?

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Do More Gun Laws Mean Fewer Gun Deaths?
Study says that seems to be the case, but at least one expert calls the research flawed
March 6, 2013 RSS Feed Print

WEDNESDAY, March 6 (HealthDay News) -- States with the strongest gun laws have fewer gun-related suicides and murders, a new study suggests.

In the study, researchers analyzed U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics on deaths between 2007 and 2010. They also looked at five categories of gun laws in all 50 states to create a gun law "strength score" for each state. The highest possible score was 28.

Over the four-year study period, there were more than 121,000 gun deaths in the United States. Average gun-related death rates ranged from a high of 17.9 per 100,000 people in Louisiana to a low of 2.9 per 100,000 in Hawaii. State gun law strength scores ranged from zero in Utah to 24 in Massachusetts.

States with the highest gun law strength scores (nine or higher) had a lower overall gun-related death rate -- 6.4 fewer deaths per 100,000 -- than those with the lowest scores (two or lower).

The study also found that states with the strongest gun laws had a lower rate of gun-related suicides (6.3 fewer deaths per 100,000) and a lower rate of gun-related deaths (0.4 fewer deaths per 100,000) than states with the weakest gun laws.

The study was published online March 6 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

"In conclusion, we found an association between the legislative strength of a state's firearm laws -- as measured by a higher number of laws -- and a lower rate of firearm fatalities," Dr. Eric Fleegler, of Boston Children's Hospital, and colleagues said in a JAMA news release. "The association was significant for firearm fatalities overall and for firearm suicide and firearm homicide deaths, individually. As our study could not determine a cause-and-effect relationship, further studies are necessary to define the nature of this association."

In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Garen Wintemute, of the University of California, Davis, said this would be an important study "if it were robust and if its meaning were clear." He said the study provides "no firm guidance."

"Do the laws work or not? If so, which ones?" he said. "Should policymakers enact the entire package? Some part? Which part?"

Wintemute called for improvements in the way research into gun violence is conducted, including better data and better data systems.

"To prevent firearm violence, our research efforts must be substantial and sustained," he wrote.

More than 30,000 people die each year in the United States from gun-related injuries.

More information

The American College of Emergency Physicians has more about gun-related deaths and injuries.

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Wintemute said the researchers did a good job with the limited data they had available but said the larger problem dates back to the 1990s, when the National Rifle Association inserted language into the CDC's appropriation that limited its work on how to reduce firearm injuries.



I wonder what the studies would say if those guys actually had the proper data to conduct such studies.

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well, nyc and washington dc have gun bans, so they must have near zero gun related deaths, right?



What part of the concept of "state" is it that you don't understand?
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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Why is the homicide rate in Greenland so high?



Probably because there are so few people. Just one or two murders would push the "Per 100000 people" numbers through the roof.
"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

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Why is the homicide rate in Greenland so high?



I dont know. I just reposted the pic because you were having trouble viewing it.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

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Homicides have declined by 50% over the last 20 years. Both in states with tough laws, and also in states with lax laws. So it's kinda hard to say that tough laws are effective in reducing homicide. They aren't.

The two highest homicide rates in the US? Chicago and D.C. Both with some of the toughest gun laws in the nation.

Ineffective.

But such laws ARE very effective in making liberals feel really good about controlling the lives of others they don't like.

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John, why is the homicide rate in Greenland so high?



Why is ours so low?
"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

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John, why is the homicide rate in Greenland so high?



Why is ours so low?



Aw, see, now I'm all distracted.



No

It was a serious question

Can your question really be answered?

Any more than my question to you?

We can guess but that is about it


It does put the rates in a different perspective however

But again

Can either question be answered?
"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

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i have come to expect comments such as this from you. first of all, dc is a state, or not part of any state, so i'm going to include it. second, the fact remains unchanged, no matter how you try to spin it, these two cities have banned guns completely and the gun violence rate is among the highest in the nation. state or no state. and since when did it ever help a debate by changing the subject? as i've told you before, this isn't a classroom, it's reality. but, like any other insulated group, it looks like you too have become confused. therein lies the problem in washington with politicians. when you become too separated from reality for too long, you lose touch with reality and start inventing your own. yet one more reason for term limits...
http://kitswv.com

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John, why is the homicide rate in Greenland so high?



Why is ours so low?



Aw, see, now I'm all distracted.



No

It was a serious question

Can your question really be answered?

Any more than my question to you?

We can guess but that is about it


It does put the rates in a different perspective however

But again

Can either question be answered?



Depends. What is the sound of one hand clapping?

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