by Lance T. Izumi, Fellow in California Studies
Pacific Research Institute
January, 1999

Announcer lead: Time for Perspectives. Lance Izumi says that Gov. Davis should refrain from signing new gun control laws.

Although he assumes office stressing pragmatism, just how pragmatic will Gov. Gray Davis be when it comes to gun control? Although so far he only promises to sign a stronger assault gun law, his Democratic allies in the Legislature are sure to send him a stack of anti-gun legislation. If Davis really wants to govern pragmatically, he should consider the empirical evidence.

Enactment of new anti-gun legislation would be ironic since violent crime is at a record low. Statewide, 1996 and 1997 saw the largest decreases in the violent crime rate in history. In Los Angeles, homicides decreased 27 percent from 1997 to 1998. At the same time, though, there are more gun owners in the state than ever.

This should come as no surprise since the National Institute of Justice has found that there "is no persuasive evidence that supports the view" that fewer homicides would occur if guns were less available. The report also concluded that gun bans would not stop criminals from getting guns.

What explains, then, California's record decrease in crime? It is no coincidence that California's crime rate dropped after it enacted tough anti-crime laws such as "Three Strikes." From 1994, when "Three Strikes" was passed, to 1997, homicide statewide dropped 40 percent.

Aside from being ineffective, anti-gun laws can also produce unintended consequences. One study found that a total handgun ban would actually increase the murder rate because criminals would simply use deadlier weapons such as sawed-off shotguns. Noted criminologist Gary Kleck has written that under a total gun ban burglars would become more likely to enter occupied homes because they will have less fear of being shot. Indeed, Prof. Kleck estimates that annually guns are used by law-abiding citizens for legitimate self-defense purposes up to 2.5 million times.

California should therefore stick to enforcing existing tough laws on criminal use of guns and forego new gun-control laws. Based on the evidence, that would be the pragmatic course.

With a perspective, I'm Lance Izumi.