How does the United States compare to other countries in terms of gun violence?
The violent crime rate in the United States is about average when compared with most other high-income, developed countries. But our murder rate is much higher than most. The difference is that the violent crime we have in the United States is more likely to be fatal than in most other high-income countries—a difference primarily attributable to the greater use of firearms in violent crime. Question: Some gun-rights supporters have argued that increasing access to guns reduces crimes. Is there any scientific basis for this theory? Answer: On average, guns in homes and communities make those places more dangerous, not safer. Research conducted at Harvard University indicates that states with a higher prevalence of gun ownership have more gun-related deaths. Numerous studies have shown that homes with guns are more likely to experience a suicide of a household member than homes without guns. And a recent National Academy of Sciences report concludes that there is no convincing evidence t
