From: Michael S. Lorrey (retroman@turbont.net)
Date: Mon Apr 10 2000 - 01:36:42 MDT
Alejandro Dubrovsky wrote:
>
> > Damien Broderick wrote:
> > >
> > > Here's something from an Oz site, posted March 25 this year
> > >
> > > http://www.guncontrol.org.au/nra_fud.html
> > >
> > > with some [explications by me]
> >
> > Thanks Damien. I would prefer, however, to see the actual statistics
> > released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, rather than what some
> > gun control group claims they are. From my own experience with gun
> > control groups here in the US, they are superb liars and
> > propagandists,
> > and while I might be wrong about your groups down there, I don't think
> > they can be that much different.
> >
> > Since the ABS hasn't posted any actual stats on crime on its
> > website, do
> > you think you could access their data at your university library?
>
> The ABS has had the stats on crime on its websites for a while, i've posted
> them here before. The only difference between the claims between the NRA
> and the gun-control lobby is that the NRA is taking 1997 as the first gun
> control year and the gun-control lobby is taking 1998 as the first gun
> control year. 1999 isn't up yet.
> http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/c311215.NSF/Australia+Now+-+A+Statistical+P
> rofile/2C2A842ACC44F31DCA2567220072E990/
>
Thanks, I couldn't find them there, every place I looked on their site
wanted to sell you a printed report...
According to the data, while murders are down by 28 between 1996 and
1998 (~-10%), the number of attempted murders & manslaughters is up by
58 in the same period (~+16%) which indicates possibly that not only are
more crimes being committed, but the gun ban is merely making the same
criminals commit their crimes with weapons that are easier to obtain
lesser convictions on, and encouraging more criminals to commit these
crimes with lesser weapons on people they know are less likely to be
able to defend themselves.
Moreover, the assault rate is also up by over 10%, while armed robberies
have increased by 80%, and unarmed robberies have increased by 30%,
which are rather remarkable increases for a two year period, and reflect
increased boldness by criminals who know their victims are less likely
to be armed, and by criminals who are themselves more likely to be
armed. Blackmail/Extorion is up by over 10%, unlawful entries are up by
10%, motor vehicle thefts are up by around 7%, and other thefts are up
by around 8%.
So, apparently the only area that the gun controllers can point to is
murders, while all other forms of homicide are up (which jives with a
shift to other weapons than guns), and all forms of property crimes and
assualts (with the singular exception of no real change in sexual
assault) are also up by large amounts for such a short period.
It looks to me like Australia has got a nice little crime wave going on
since the new gun laws went into effect.
Mike Lorrey
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