Saturday, April 21, 2007

The Kennesaw, Georgia Gun Violence Reduction Myth

Gun lobbyists and their supporters are once again parading a deeply misleading myth that claims greatly improved public safety in the rural community of Kennesaw, Georgia after in 1982 the City Council passed a law requiring every head of a household to own a gun, while the community of Morton Grove, Illinois passed a handgun ban in their community earlier in 1982.

Gun supporters misleadingly claim that Kennesaw is now much safer than Morton Grove by the use of some select use of statistical percentages of claimed crime reductions. However an honest comparison of the actual crime figures of the two communities certainly fail to prove the case of the gun advocates that more guns in a comunity improve the public safety compared to less guns. In general, guns do correlate with 33,000 national incidents that result in death each year including teen and adult suicide, accidents, domestic violence and murders.

Morton Grove, Illinois is a suburb of the huge city of Chicago, where no doubt, some Chicago residents will travel by car for the purpose of armed robbery and other crimes. Kennesaw is a far more rural community, much farther from a larger community, where most crime will be by local residents.

FBI crime statistics for 2003 provide the most recent equal models for comparison of the two cities which are roughly comparable in population. Morton Grove has 22, 966 and Kennesaw 25, 183 for the purposes of this 2003 actual crime figures comparison.

In 2003, Morton Grove had 2 murders and Kennesaw just 1. But both figures are subject to yearly fluctuations, where some years neither community will have an incident classified as a murder.

In 2003, Morton Grove had 4 robberies compared to 7 in Kennesaw. The Kennesaw figures are much higher than Morton Grove's for that year, and guns are often the weapon of choice in a robbery.

In 2003, Morton Grove had 12 aggravated assaults compared to the higher number of 15 in Kennesaw.

In 2003, Morton Grove had 70 burglaries compared to the much higher number of 89 in Kennesaw. Many burglars may carry a gun in case of being surprised by security or a property owner.

In 2003, Morton Grove had 390 incidents of larcency and theft compared 455 examples in Kennesaw.

No good statistics on suicide in the two communities can be easily found, but in general more guns do correlate with higher suicide rates just the same as more automobiles will correlate with higher accident figures. But with higher actual crime figures in Kennesaw compared to Morton Grove, that may include the use of guns, why gun supporters use Kennesaw as any shining example to support their claims yhay more guns improve community safety is simply absurd. No good evidence is to be found in the actual number of crimes which are higher in Kennesaw than Morton Grove that the law requiring gun ownership has made the community are more safe or crime free at all.

Also has the average person had their own life impacted by gun? My grandmother's brother was killed in a hunting gun accident. Careless hunters nearly hit the farm house I was raised in as a child when they illegally hunted pheasants on our farm property. My own mother was held up at gunpoint at her workplace. I lived in a community where gangs of young men with rifles and pistols were stalking pedestrians in automobiles with the windows blacked out and the license plates removed during a 1968 race riot. In this same community gun incidents still are somewhat common at two local high schools and at two area shopping malls. A Korean man was recently shot in the neck and paralyzed from the neck down during an armed robbery for a carton of cigarettes and cash while he only watched the store for a short time so the owner could attend a church service. A very nice man I know was shot during a robbery at his business and left him to spend the rest of his life as a disabled worker at the local St. Vincent De Paul. I ran a bookstore on Foster street, and another shopowner only a few doors down was shot and killed during a robbery. More guns failed to improve any of these incidents. Guns only correlated with all of these problems. And these are only the examples from my own life that I have personal knowledge of, many persons know of even worse personal examples.

Some gun advocates are now also claiming that students, teachers and security at Virginia Tech should all be allowed to bring guns to school to somehow enhance "security". Yet during the early college years of 18-25 higher problems with suicide, mental illness, alcohol, drug abuse or depression are the most likely to manifest itself according to all good scientific evidence, and putting guns in the hands of young people whose brains are not yet fully developed would only likely invite many incidents of gun violence or tragedy and is a highly irresponsible and reckless proposal.

Gun advocates may use misleading statistics to support their wholly absurd claims that more guns in a community improve the public safety. But no good statistics have ever proven this absurd premise. More guns always correlate with a higher number of unfortunate incidents of some type.

53 Comments:

At 3:29 PM, Blogger Clyde said...

Funny how you don't post a link to the FBI statistics. Ok, I will.

http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Kennesaw&state=GA

Humm, Isn't that interesting. It's one of the safest places in America to like.

 
At 3:31 PM, Blogger Clyde said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 3:34 PM, Blogger Clyde said...

To live, not like

:-/

 
At 8:14 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

So, what is Atlanta? since Kennesaw is only 35 minutes from downtown Atlanta.

And here are a few statistics, Kennesaw's poverty level: 6.1%, Morton Grove 2.1%; Atlanta Crime is 3.3 times the national average, while Chicago's is 2.18 times the national average.

It sucks when you're trying to get true information, and people F up the statistics to make it say what they want.

 
At 4:09 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Clyde, where does it say that Kennesaw is "one of the safest places to like [sic]"? As far as I can see it only shows it is safer than the national average, which is irrelevant. Also note that the zero values may indicate that data was not available.

 
At 11:31 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

This is complete garbage. Not only do you say things like "guns are often the weapons of choise in a robbery," which leaves out the fact of whether a gun was actually used in the crime or not, but it is a moot point anyway. Robbery, burglary of a habitation, aggrivated assault, etc., are felonies, automatically disqualifying said individual from owning or purchasing a gun. And talking about "children's" brains being undeveloped and the availability of guns promoting suicide? First of all, children are not allowed to buy guns, or to possess them without parental supervision. You must be 18 to buy a long gun, 21 to buy a handgun. Second, a person who is mentally deranged enough to kill themself will do it whether they have a knife, gun, car, toaster, high ledge, or anything else they have access to.
The problems you associate with guns began long before firearms were widely available, and will persist as long as there are people on this planet.
Examples like Kennesaw and Switzerland, where every adult male owns an automatic rifle, yet the crime rate remains relatively low, illustrate the fact that the guns clearly are not the problem. Keep your liberal opinions out of it and you will see the logic that remains.

 
At 11:36 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

"At 4:09 PM, Christian said...
Clyde, where does it say that Kennesaw is "one of the safest places to like [sic]"? As far as I can see it only shows it is safer than the national average, which is irrelevant. Also note that the zero values may indicate that data was not available."
---------------------
If it wasn't a great place to live, would it be one of Family Circle's Best Towns for Families?

http://www.kennesaw.ga.us/index.asp?NID=351

 
At 6:53 PM, Blogger Pat D. said...

This article is misleading in many ways...The most glaring is that the author does not compare the crime rate after the law was put in place with what it was before...That is the true measure; not national numbers and not comaparison to some town in another state...BTW, Kennesaw is definitely not rural!!!...It is only minutes from downtown Atlanta!

 
At 2:52 PM, Blogger mark said...

wow.. nobody can take this article seriously because you never site your sources... you can have complete bogus numbers for all anyone reading this knows..

 
At 9:15 AM, Blogger napalm said...

Are you insane? "Kennesaw is a much more rural community"

Kennesaw is less than 10 minutes from the heart of downtown atlanta. It IS a suburb of atlanta. And yes I know this because I live there.

Metro atlanta extends out almost the whole way to gainesville 60+ miles away

 
At 3:28 AM, Blogger Jory123 said...

Or the information was not ' reportable quantity'. I would imagine that is a good thing..

 
At 3:11 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 3:12 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

@ 6:53 PM, Blogger Pat D. said...

"This article is misleading in many ways...The most glaring is that the author does not compare the crime rate after the law was put in place with what it was before...That is the true measure..."

So your saying a couple of things:

1. It was far more dangerous before everyone had to own a gun or nothing has changed.

2. The other town was able to keep crime down without enforcing gun ownership.

If you can reduce crime without introducing guns, wouldn't you think that was much safer and maybe Kennesaw, which has greater poverty, look at the real causes of their problems?

Given the US has the highest level of gun crime in the OECD by (ie. educated, first world countries)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence

and the highest levels of gun possession in the OECD, it doesn't take a genius to notice the relationship.

 
At 6:49 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

The purpose of the 2nd Amendment was and is to ensure that we continue to have all the others. The 2nd Amendment protects our Bill of Rights. One of the Left's favorite diversions is to make it about hunting. "You don't need that kind of gun to hunt." Throughout history citizens were armed, slaves were disarmed. As one of the Founders said, When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny." The Left purposely misses the point and avoids the real issue. Typically, anti-gun people are ignorant about firearms, fear them, and want to get rid of them as a result. Luckily for them, we will protect them too, though they cower and quake.

 
At 12:18 AM, Blogger Sarah said...

Gun violence should be control, in order to reduce the crime ratio.

 
At 12:05 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

David, are you sure you live in Kennesaw? Though the article is misleading because Kennesaw is no longer rural and is close to Atlanta, your description is just as wrong. Kennesaw is 26 miles from Atlanta city limits, and about 35 miles "from the heart of downtown Atlanta." And Gainesville is in another direction, though your distance is accurate. You'd have to drive at an average of around 150 mph to get from Kennesaw to the heart of downtown Atlanta in "less than ten minutes." So, slow down, you nut!

 
At 5:26 PM, Blogger ResponsableGunOwner73 said...

The author ( and I use that term simply because he "authored" this contrite garbage, not because he has any writing skills, journalistic integrity or apparently common sense) is clearly biased against guns in general and should not for one second believe his uneducated spewing of conservative propaganda are regarded as anything but what they are; the whining rhetoric of a coward and fool. “Oh, my grandmother was raped by a gun, boo-hoo”. Well, maybe she should have had a gun of her own, like most of the people in Kennesaw, and maybe she wouldn’t have been. How can you quote sources, and then lie about what those sources actually say? Did you think no one would look? “Genesis 4:12 says that polka dot Capri pants are immoral. What, you looked up Genesis 4:12 and it says no such thing? Maybe it was 12:4 then…” , idiot.

 
At 8:48 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

This is highly inaccurate...

 
At 5:37 AM, Blogger Darby said...

It is funny how liberals know so much, unfortunately most of what they know isn't true. It appears the blogger has never been to Kennesaw or Atlanta.

 
At 6:51 AM, Blogger JPZingher said...

Actually, Morton Grove is way north of Chicago in Lake County. It's a very rural area.

 
At 7:08 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

The selective use of statistics to back an opinion and the injection of opinion without stats for either argument leaves them invalid for consideration in forming an opinion. This blog is guilty of both.

 
At 5:19 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Clyde, the stats you posted don't say that. But the ones I saw say that Kennesaw has MORE crime than 65% of American cities. The FBI stats also say that crime has been on the rise in Kennesaw, while nationally crime has been decreasing.

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ga/kennesaw/crime/

 
At 6:59 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Hey...Libtard...Morton Grove is the EXACT same distance from Chicago that Kennesaw is from Atlanta. Try telling the truth sometime in one of your shitty blogs please. Also, I find it highly convenient that you mention all of these "statistics", but fail to list even one source. It's ok...We aren't like your libtard dumbocrap friends. We conservatives know how to research on our own. See you later, scumbag liar!!!

 
At 6:59 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Hey...Libtard...Morton Grove is the EXACT same distance from Chicago that Kennesaw is from Atlanta. Try telling the truth sometime in one of your shitty blogs please. Also, I find it highly convenient that you mention all of these "statistics", but fail to list even one source. It's ok...We aren't like your libtard dumbocrap friends. We conservatives know how to research on our own. See you later, scumbag liar!!!

 
At 11:06 AM, Blogger Rants.Raves.Rambles said...

Kennesaw passed their law in reaction to Morton Grove, IL passing an outright ban on handguns. 
Looking at actual crime statistics shows that both locations have relatively the same levels of crime with Morton Grove being slightly lower (as of 2010)

http://www.cityrating.com/crime-statistics/illinois/morton-grove.html


Morton Grove Crime Statistics
Summary Report

2010 Crime (Actual Data)* Incidents
Aggravated Assault 5
Arson 0
Burglary 75
Forcible Rape 3
Larceny and Theft 306
Motor Vehicle Theft 15
Murder and Manslaughter 0
Robbery 3
Crime Rate (Total Incidents) 407
Property Crime 396
Violent Crime 11

http://www.cityrating.com/crime-statistics/georgia/kennesaw.html

Kennesaw Crime Statistics
Summary Report

2010 Crime (Actual Data)* Incidents
Aggravated Assault 13
Arson 0
Burglary 110
Forcible Rape 2
Larceny and Theft 394
Motor Vehicle Theft 22
Murder and Manslaughter 0
Robbery 5
Crime Rate (Total Incidents) 541
Property Crime  526
Violent Crime 20

 
At 11:38 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

LMAO.. no one agrees with this guys BS....

 
At 11:38 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

LMAO.. no one agrees with this guys BS....

 
At 3:13 AM, Blogger PhDMarty said...

One "fact" was as we are the most gun owning country, we have the highest gun crime. SO?? It only makes sense more firearms would be the "tools" used. You don't mention that between 2 and 2.5 MILLION times a year, guns are used to STOP a crime. We also rank 24th worldwide in murder rates. Does it matter if you are shot, stabbed, or strangled? Dead is Dead! The writer said so and so was robbed by a gun or killed with a gun. So?? Was the person them self armed giving him at least an opportunity to defend himself? Point is, at least if you have a firearm you have a chance to defend yourself!Otherwise you are a victim and not a thing you can do about it. Feinstein says "40%" of guns were acquired without a background check. Considering that statistic comes from a poll of, not thousand, not millions, but 251 people who purchased a gun in 1993-1994!! That was four years before the NICS was even in existence! Even at that, 30% of the 40% were gifts. This was used as "currently" used numbers. Funny how twenty year old numbers can be used as "current" isn't it? You would think judging by those pushing for gun control that it is close to a 50-50 split. Actually by three separate studies, OK, IL, and CO, it's closer to 70 don't want new gun laws and 30 want it. Funny how people can skewer the numbers. By the way, Biden even admitted to a group of reporters in March that the new laws will have NO affect on recent shootings! We have a background check in place that is used most of the time but when you only prosecute 60 out of over 200,000, once again according to Biden, for lying on the ATF form(felony) to try to get a gun, what does it matter what law you put in place? Maybe if they enforced that law, they wouldn't have people with felonies already trying to buy a gun without worrying if he lies!

 
At 9:18 PM, Blogger Ryan N. said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 9:18 PM, Blogger Ryan N. said...

It's interesting to see all of the namecalling on the side that doesn't agree with the article.

 
At 1:18 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Hey I don't think any of you guys realize this....but the Morton Grove Law prohibiting handguns was deemed unconstitutional (While Kennesaw's is still on the books).... So basically comparing Kennesaw to Morton Grove is pointless. You could compare Kennesaw to any town and come up with different statistical results.

 
At 1:18 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Hey I don't think any of you guys realize this....but the Morton Grove Law prohibiting handguns was deemed unconstitutional (While Kennesaw's is still on the books).... So basically comparing Kennesaw to Morton Grove is pointless. You could compare Kennesaw to any town and come up with different statistical results.

 
At 11:20 AM, Blogger Mason said...

Yeah, I lived in Kennesaw also smart ass and it's ten minutes into Atlanta. I just moved further for more space for my kids. It has has one of the largest Universities in the state and is a racial and economic melting pot. Its anything but rural. It's also one of the safest and most peaceful places I've ever lived.

 
At 11:21 AM, Blogger Mason said...

Yeah, I lived in Kennesaw also smart ass and it's ten minutes into Atlanta. I just moved further for more space for my kids. It has has one of the largest Universities in the state and is a racial and economic melting pot. Its anything but rural. It's also one of the safest and most peaceful places I've ever lived.

 
At 5:33 PM, Blogger Paolo Maldini said...

There's a new study out published by Harvard Law that says that gun ownership has a direct correlation to reduced crime. It really debunks a lot of stuff that you claim. Will you choose to publish the new facts?

http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol30_No2_KatesMauseronline.pdf

 
At 5:33 PM, Blogger Paolo Maldini said...

There's a new study out published by Harvard Law that says that gun ownership has a direct correlation to reduced crime. It really debunks a lot of stuff that you claim related to suicides, etc. Will you choose to publish the new facts?

http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol30_No2_KatesMauseronline.pdf

 
At 6:16 AM, Blogger Mark said...

Perfect example of a progressive, no facts.

 
At 1:33 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

bitter I see lol

 
At 3:18 PM, Blogger Greg said...

Wow just wow a gun is a tool, liberal // or what you call progressive is PC communism. Where are the FBI stats? Where are your references? My old argument teacher would throw this paper out and give you an F! LOL did you know more murders are committed with claw hammers than fire arms? I guess you didn't huh, get your facts straight "Progressive values" writer and do some unbiased reserch before you post bull crap!

 
At 7:17 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Isn't the more important statistic being left out of your analysis. How do those figures, correlate to the violence in the two towns before they passed the ordnance. Isn't the question; "What's the difference before and after in each town compared to itself?" Comparing crime rates between the two places, using a single years worth of data, talk about cherry picking your statistics. What was the crime rate in Kennesaw in 1981? How does it compare to the crime rate now? Did Kennesaw see a marked increase in crime? Did Morton Grove see a marked reduction during the same period? Always compare Apples to Apples and Oranges to Oranges.

 
At 4:23 PM, Blogger Mr. Peachy said...

Guy's from Portland... Nuff said!

 
At 10:39 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Yeah I think this is bs.. No one knows true statistics . I'll just leave it at this, you walk into a store lets say a restaurant you are planning to rob the joint. You look around see 6 guys carrying openly. Do you try your luck or look for another joint to rob? Now we all know the chances are at least one of the guys will be a cowboy. so obviously unless that money is worth your life you will keep your gun holstered and find a new target. Now imagine 50% of citizens carried either concealed or open, will you likely find a target? The simple fact is many people want an easy target with good odds to survive. The places people stand no chance are the ones who don't let citizens carry, those signs just keep the good people from carrying.. The bad guys see it as a free ticket.

 
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