The three also dismiss more conservative theories. The NRA, for example, credits the widespread sale of handguns, arguing that having guns in the home has scared criminals away from unlawful activity.
Bridges scoffs at the claims.
Most research shows that they don't, he adds. People who used to be stabbed or assaulted are now shot. Juvenile crime, one of Bridges' specialties, may have become more lethal now due to the proliferation of guns. Comparing states with high gun ownership with those with lower rates also counters the NRA's argument. Both have experienced the same drop in crime rates, he notes.