My own research has found that increased gun ownership rates are associated with lower crime rates. Poor people in the highest crime areas benefit the most from owning guns. It is hypocritical for mayors to demand that poor people live in high crime areas without being able to own guns, while the mayors would never enter these areas without armed guards. Chicago claims that the gun makers made their weapons attractive to gang members through low price, easy concealability, corrosion resistance, accurate firing and high firepower. Lightweight, concealable guns may help criminals, but they also have helped protect law-abiding citizens and lower crime rates in the 43 states that allow concealed handguns.
Women benefit most and also find it easier to use smaller, lightweight guns.
It is particularly concerned with accidental deaths involving children and cites three cases in New Orleans since 1992. Most gun owners must be very responsible, or such gun accidents would be much more frequent. Allowing the court system to ignore a product's benefits to society is bad enough. Yet even worse is the cynical attempt to file bogus lawsuits and use taxpayers' dollars to impose massive legal costs that render it infeasible for defendants to defend themselves. Copyright 1998 Los Angeles Times.