Guns are not the problem.
United States' homicide rate per 100,000 inhabitants is 4,7. Russia's is 10,2, even though handguns are completely prohibited and long guns are strongly restricted.
4,7 is a high number compared to European countries: it is, however, an average gotten from 50 states with
wildly varying homicide rates. Hawaii has 0,5 (half of Western Europe's average) and Louisiana has 10,54 (slightly higher than Russia) - and the average is gotten from these and the other 48 less extreme states.
Hawaii does not have a problem with violence, Louisiana does. To get relevant numbers, one mustn't look at the United States on the whole, but as it is: an union of different states, cultures and people.
Switzerland has one of the most liberal gun policies of Western Europe, and yet one of the smallest homicide rates: 0,7. In the United Kingdom, all handguns and semi-automatic rifles are illegal, but its rate (1,2) is distinctly bigger.
United States has 89 firearms per one hundred citizens, and 3,2 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants are committed with those. Mexico has 15 firearms per hundred citizens, but 22,7 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants are committed with those.
The facts are that the presence of firearms does not have an effect on the amount of homicides, only on how they are committed.
The homicide rates per state are as follows:
1. Hawaii 0,5
2. New Hampshire 1,23
3. Rhode Island 1,27
4. Minnesota 1,32
5. Vermont 1,33
6. Iowa 1,42
7. North Dakota 1,71
8. Montana 1,8
9. Utah 1,82
10. South Dakota 1,88
11. Maine 1,92
12. Idaho 2
13. Oregon 2,03
14. Washington 2,37
15. Wisconsin 2,37
16. Wyoming 2,5
17. Massachusetts 2,77
18. Colorado 2,88
19. Kentucky 3,41
20. Illinois 3,5
21. Connecticut 3,56
22. Nebraska 3,61
23. Kansas 3,79
24. Virginia 3,79
25. West Virginia 3,89
26. Alaska 4,01
27. New York 4,07
28. Ohio 4,24
29. Texas 4,24
30. New Jersey 4,31
31. Indiana 4,37
32. Delaware 4,56
33. California 4,7
34. Nevada 4,78
35. Pennsylvania 5,01
36. North Carolina 5,04
37. Arkansas 5,1
38. Arizona 5,22
39. Georgia 5,33
40. Oklahoma 5,34
41. New Mexico 5,76
42. Tennessee 5,92
43. Missouri 6,07
44. Michigan 6,19
45. Mississippi 6,23
46. South Carolina 6,79
47. Maryland 6,86
48. Louisiana 10,54
49. District of Columbia 18
The north-east and west are the most peaceful, the mid-west a bit more restless, and the south the most violent by a good margin. 43,6% of murders were committed in the south (15 states).
Out of 17-29 year-olds, there are twice more black victims than white.
Now, is there a correlation between gun laws and homicides?
In Alaska, Arizona, Vermont and Wyoming, you can carry a loaded gun both openly and concealed without a permit. These states receive six stars (******).
After those come states in which open carry is unrestricted, but concealed carry requires a permit that officials have to issue: Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Montana, South Dakota, Kentucky, Virginia, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine, North Carolina. They receive five stars (*****).
Third, states where you need a permit for open carry, and concealed carry is "shall-issue." (A Shall-Issue jurisdiction is one that requires a permit to carry a concealed handgun, but where the granting of such permits is subject only to meeting determinate criteria laid out in the law; the granting authority has no discretion in the awarding of the permits, and there is no requirement of the applicant to demonstrate "good cause".): Utah, North Dakota, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Connecticut and Delaware. These receive four stars (****).
Fourth, states where open carry requires a permit, and concealed carry is "may-issue": Massachusetts and Rhode Island. These receive three stars. (***).
Texas, Arkansas, South Carolina and Florida are "shall-issue" states where open carry is not permitted. They receive two stars. (**).
California and New York are "may-issue" states that do not permit open carry. Hawaii, Maryland and New Jersey completely disallow concealed carry, but give permits for open carry. These receive one star. (*).
Illinois and District of Columbia completely ban both concealed and open carry, and do not receive a single star. States with an "assault weapon ban" also receive a minus (-).
Hawaii 0,5 *
New Hampshire 1,23 *****
Rhode Island 1,27 ***
Minnesota 1,32 ****
Vermont 1,33 ******
Iowa 1,42 ****
North Dakota 1,71 ****
Montana 1,8 *****
Utah 1,82 ****
South Dakota 1,88 *****
Maine 1,92 *****
Idaho 2 *****
Oregon 2,03 *****
Washington 2,37 *****
Wisconsin 2,37 *****
Wyoming 2,5 ******
Massachusetts 2,77 ***
Colorado 2,88 *****
Kentucky 3,41 *****
Illinois 3,5
Connecticut 3,56 ****-
Nebraska 3,61 *****
Kansas 3,79 *****
Virginia 3,79 *****
West Virginia 3,89 *****
Alaska 4,01 ******
New York 4,07 *-
Ohio 4,24 *****
Texas 4,24 **
New Jersey 4,31 *-
Indiana 4,37 ****
Delaware 4,56 ****
California 4,7 *-
Nevada 4,78 *****
Pennsylvania 5,01 *****
North Carolina 5,04 *****
Arkansas 5,1 **
Arizona 5,22 ******
Georgia 5,33 ****
Oklahoma 5,34 ****
New Mexico 5,76 *****
Tennessee 5,92 ****
Missouri 6,07 *****
Michigan 6,19 *****
Mississippi 6,23 ****
South Carolina 6,79 **
Maryland 6,86 *
Louisiana 10,54 *****
District of Columbia 18 -
As we can see, finding a clear correlation is difficult. Both the most peaceful state Hawaii and the murder capital Washington DC have harsh gun laws in effect.
In conclusion, gun laws do not seem to have any effect on homicide rates in the United States. The same correlation can be seen internationally.
