B&E or Homicide? Choose Quick!

By: Law is Cool · May 21, 2009 · Filed Under Criminal Law, International Law · Add Comment 

If you had to choose between being killed, or having your house robbed while you were out or asleep, which would you choose?

Earlier today the Texas Senate passed a bill that would allow concealed handguns on campus, presumably including law schools.

According to Statistics Canada (2001), the homicide rate in Canada is 1.8 per hundred thousand.  In the U.S. it’s more than three times that, at 5.5 per hundred thousand.  Aggravated assault?  143 in Canada, and 324 in the U.S.

NRA supporters always claims that guns help keep America safe.  And they might have a point.

Breaking and entering rates in the U.S.  are lower than in Canada, at 521 per hundred thousand to 954.  And motor vehicle thefts are 414 compared to 728 per hundred thousand.

But it’s just as plausible that more crimes in the U.S. are commissioned armed than not as compared to Canada.  And it’s not just an American problem.

Over half the handguns discovered related to crimes in Canada were smuggled from the U.S.  It’s a little better than Japan, where 30% of their illegal handguns come from the States.  But then they have this big ocean separating them too.

Maybe we can feel some comfort in knowing that a full 80% of crime scene guns in Mexico were also smuggled from the U.S.  And that Texas is as far from the Canadian border as possible.

Maybe.

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