It’s worth keeping a few things in mind when contemplating the NRA’s latest effort to promote gun sales. First, every state in the union forbids the sale of alcohol to people under age 21. Second, as a 2013 report from the National Academy of Sciences states, behaviors and characteristics associated with adolescence are “positively correlated with increased risk for firearm violence.” In fact, according to research by Daniel Webster of Johns Hopkins University, the correlation is particularly acute between the ages of 18 and 20, when the homicide-offense rate peaks. (See chart.)
Anyone 18 and over can buy a long gun from a federally licensed dealer. Anyone 18 and over can buy a handgun from an unlicensed supplier (although a few states require residents to be 21). As we see it, restrictions on youthful gun ownership already seem pretty porous.
1. The chart doesn't show the method used.
ReplyDelete2. The chart doesn't control for people with a criminal record.
3. You don't really want anyone to have a handgun, anyway.
"In fact, according to research by Daniel Webster of Johns Hopkins University, the correlation is particularly acute between the ages of 18 and 20, when the homicide-offense rate peaks. (See chart.)"
ReplyDeleteIts always interesting how they often leave out part of their name in these articles. Actually its the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They always seem to leave that part out.
I tend to look at studies from this source with the same jaded eye that I do when they're from the Violence Policy Center or the NRA.
I believe there is also a similar correlation to be found in the operation of motor vehicles. Then we are back to the question of how do we fix it. You wish to just restrict access to the groups that cause the problem. How do we fix the problem without infringing on rights?
Gun control freaks want to restrict access to a whole lot more groups than that.
Deletess, since we're not talking about cars right now, what do you say about this damning report and the movement to allow 18-year-olds even more legal access to handguns?
DeleteThere's nothing damning about this report.
DeleteWhat's so damning about this report? A breakdown of the numbers will likely show that most of these youthful homicides are linked to gang activity--in other words, they're a crime problem that would persist with or without guns. Meanwhile, the gang members who have arrests for assault, drug possession, etc. are going to find themselves on the prohibited persons list and ineligible to buy or carry a firearm.
DeleteBut go ahead and keep cherry picking studies and numbers, ignoring all of the evidence to the contrary. You're not concerned with truth or reality anyway.
The 18-year-old drug dealer in Chicago and the 18-year-old high school dropout in Tupelo are both too young to responsibly handle guns.
DeleteThe one is a criminal. The other might go on to have a career in country music.
DeleteYour opinion, Mike. And you know what they say about opinions...
Delete"behaviors and characteristics associated with adolescence are “positively correlated with increased risk for firearm violence.”
ReplyDeleteI love it when they cut up sentences. They left this out, "Certain behaviors and characteristics associated with adolescence are positively correlated with increased risk for firearm violence.”
The report goes on to say that other factors can minimize the effects of risk factors. Again though, when you become an adult, you get the perks and the responsibilities. So what can we do to prepare our children to take on these responsibilities effectively?
In the same way that we disallow legal drinking for those under 21, we should restrict handgun ownership.
DeleteYes, and the legal drinking age is such a success...
DeleteIn Europe, drinking ages are far younger than here in the states--16-18 depending on the type of alcohol--and yet their world has not collapsed.
DeleteOf course, if we say that the drinking age doesn't need to be 21, that removes one of your arguments for postponing adulthood until 21, and then 25.
"Yes, and the legal drinking age is such a success..."
DeleteOf course it is for the simple reason that most people obey the laws.
I bet the homicide victim by age will look pretty similar.
ReplyDeleteWould you use a chart that shows homicide perpetrators by race as a means to say whole races should not be allowed to own guns?
You're forgetting the narrative. It's only fat, white young adults who are the problem.
Delete