Gun Ownership + Carrying + Impulsivity = Increased Firearm Violence Victimization & Death Risk

Think you need a gun “for protection”?

Think again.

The glibly superficial “good guy with a gun” notion is but a trite and specious fallacy.

Research has shown that “that individuals in possession of a gun are over four times more likely to be shot in an assault than those not in possession.”¹

Thus, while gun carrying itself is not a violent behavior, “it potentially marks heightened risk among gun carriers.”

And indeed, “research has demonstrated a strong link between (gun carrying) and gun violence victimization.”¹

“The finding has important implications for states and campuses considering open carry laws α while these policies may be intended to increase safety, they may have the unintended result of increasing gun violence victimization.”²

“On average, guns did not protect those who possessed them from being shot in an assault.³ Although successful defensive gun uses occur each year, the probability of success may be low for civilian gun users in urban areas. Such users should reconsider their possession of guns or, at least, understand that regular possession necessitates careful safety countermeasures.”

“Impulsivity was identified as a significant predictor of gun carrying.² Research has suggested that impulsivity is associated with a host of risk behaviors.”⁴

“When asked about the reasons for gun carrying, 88% reported that it was because they needed protection or to feel safe.”²

It would seem reasonable, therefore, that to reduce the incidence of gun carrying, and by extension, firearm violence and death, we should build an overall safer society.

“Individuals who had access to guns, compared to those with no such access, were over 18 times more likely to have threatened someone with a gun, even after controlling for variables.”²

“Research has shown that areas or states in the US with higher gun ownership rates had higher firearm homicide rates,⁵ ⁶ indicating an expected link between gun access and gun violence. There is evidence for the link between gun access and gun violence on an individual level.”

“While an argument can be made that threating someone with a gun does not necessarily equal gun violence, it is an adequate proxy or precursor to actual gun violence.”²

“Age, race, and current life situation was not significantly linked to gun carrying or threatening someone with a gun.”²

“Males were 3.04 times more likely to have threatened someone with a gun after controlling for other demographic factors. This finding is consistent with prior research,” and intensifies a need for focus upon males.

“Of all the mental health symptoms considered, only impulsivity was associated with gun carrying and only hostility was associated with threatening someone with a gun.”²

“Access to guns was especially strong in predicting gun carrying and threatening someone with a gun, even after controlling for demographic characteristics, prior mental health treatment, and mental health symptoms. This finding has important implications for gun control policy efforts.”²

 

¹https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2759797/

²https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6456300/

³https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19762675/

⁴https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25032165/

⁵https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12453821/

⁶https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24028252/