Academics Say Gun Laws Counterproductive

Editor’s note: Following is the text of a letter sent to members of Congress by 290 scholars who say more gun controls are not the answer to the nation’s crime problems.

Dear Members of Congress:

After the tragic attacks at public schools over the last two years, there is an understandable desire to “do something.” Yet, none of the proposed legislation would have prevented the recent violence. The current debate focuses only on the potential benefits from new gun control laws and ignores the fact that these laws can have some very real adverse effects. Good intentions don’t necessarily make good laws. What counts is whether the laws will ultimately save lives, prevent injury, and reduce crime. Passing laws based upon their supposed benefits while ignoring their costs poses a real threat to people’s lives and safety.

These gun control laws will primarily be obeyed by law-abiding citizens and risk making it less likely that good people have guns compared to criminals. Deterrence is important and disarming good people relative to criminals will increase the risk of violent crime. If we really care about saving lives we must focus not only on the newsworthy events where bad things happen, but also on the bad things that never happen because people are able to defend themselves.

Few people would voluntarily put up a sign in front of their homes stating that “This home is a gun free zone.” The reason is very simple. Just as we can deter criminals with higher arrest or conviction rates, the fact that would be victims might be able defend themselves also deters attacks. Not only do guns allow individuals to defend themselves, they also provide some protection to citizens who choose not to own guns since criminals would not normally know who can defend themselves before they attack.

The laws currently being considered by Congress ignore the importance of deterrence. Police are extremely important at deterring crime, but they simply cannot be everywhere. Individuals also benefit from being able to defend themselves with a gun when they are confronted by a criminal.

Let us illustrate some of the problems with the current debate.

The Clinton administration wants to raise the age at which citizens can possess a handgun to 21, and they point to the fact that 18 and 19 year olds commit gun crimes at the highest rate. Yet, Department of Justice numbers indicate that 18 and 19 year olds are also the most likely victims of violent crimes including murder, rape, robbery with serious injury, and aggravated assault. The vast majority of those committing crimes in this age group are members of gangs and are already breaking the law by having a gun. This law will primarily apply to law-abiding 18 to 21 year olds and make it difficult for them to defend themselves.

Waiting periods can produce a “cooling-off period.” But they also have real costs. Those threatened with harm may not be able to quickly obtain a gun for protection.

Gun locks may prevent some accidental gun deaths, but they will make it difficult for people to defend themselves from attackers. We believe that the risks of accidental gun deaths, particularly those involving young children, have been greatly exaggerated. In 1996, there were 44 accidental gun deaths for children under age 10. This exaggeration risks threatening people’s safety if it incorrectly frightens some people from having a gun in their home even though that is actually the safest course of action.

Tradeoffs exist with other proposals such as prison sentences for adults whose guns are misused by someone under 18 and rules limiting the number of guns people can purchase. No evidence has been presented to show that the likely benefits of such proposals will exceed their potential costs.

With the 20,000 gun laws already on the books, we advise Congress, before enacting yet more new laws, to investigate whether many of the existing laws may have contributed to the problems we currently face. The new legislation is ill-advised.

Sincerely,

Brian D. Adam, Oklahoma State University
Donald L. Alexander, Western Michigan University
Dennis Allen, North Carolina State University
Ryan C. Amacher, University of Texas at Arlington
Gary M. Anderson, California State University, Northridge
Terry L. Anderson, Montana State University
Tom Anderson, University of Connecticut
John Antel, University of Houston
Charles W. Baird, California State University, Hayward
Mark J. Balas, University of Colorado
Andy H. Barnett, Auburn University
Randy E. Barnett, Boston University
Doug Barrett , University of North Alabama
Michael T. Bradshaw, California Institute of Technology
David Becker, University of Wisconsin-Madison
David T. Beito, University of Alabama
Joe Bell, Southwest Missouri State University
Tom W. Bell, Chapman University
Herman Belz, University of Maryland
Bruce L. Benson, Florida State University
David A. Bessler, Texas A&M Uniersity
Frederick R. Bieber, Harvard University
Michael Block, University of Arizona
Walter Block, University of Central Arkansas
Thomas Borcherding, Claremont Graduate School
David J. Bordua, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Bryan L. Boulier, George Washington University
David Brasington, Tulane University
Frank H. Buckley, George Mason University
John A. Bull, Central Washington University
Colin D. Campbell, Dartmouth College
Bryan Caplan, George Mason University
Hoy F. Carman, University of California at Davis
Robert A. Carter, Rutgers Law School at Newark
C. David Channell, William Carey College
Marc C. Chopin, Louisiana Tech University
R. Morris Coats, Nicholls State University
John P. Cochran, Metropolitan State College of Denver
Lloyd R. Cohen, George Mason University
James M. Collins, University of Alaska at Fairbanks
Roger Congleton, George Mason University
Roy E. Cordato, Campbell University
Robert J. Cottrol, George Washington University
Jim Couch, University of North Alabama.
J.D. Crouch II, Southwest Missouri State University
Preston K. Covey, Carnegie Mellon University
Brad Cox, George Mason University
Stephen Cox, University of California at San Diego
Mark Crain, George Mason University
Peggy Currid, University of Illinois
John W. Danford, Loyola University Chicago
Ernest E. Davis, Texas A&M University
Ted Day, University of Texas at Dallas
Michael DeBow, Samford University
Henry Demmert, Santa Clara University
Brannon P. Denning, Southern Illinois University
Cheryl DeVuyst, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Eric A. DeVuyst, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Arthur M. Diamond, Jr., University of Nebraska at Omaha
Tom DiLorenzo, Loyola College in Maryland,
Donna A. Driscoll, California State University, Northridge
Jefferson G. Edgens, University of Kentucky
Catherine Elkins, University of North Carolina
Euel Elliott, University of Texas at Dallas
Michael G. Erickson, Albertson College
Paul Evans, Ohio State University
Frank Falero, California State University, Bakersfield
Patricia Fennell, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Arthur A. Fleisher III, Metropolitan State College of Denver
Sandra Tempesti Fleming, Northeast State Technical Community College
John T. Flynn, Thomas Jefferson University
Roger Nils Folsom, San Jose State University
Gunter N. Franz, West Virginia University
Janice J. Gabbert, Wright State University
Lowell Gallaway, Ohio University
William E. Garland, Seton Hall University School of Law
James F. Gatti, University of Vermont
R. Richard Geddes, Fordham University
Norman J. Gierlasinski, Central Washington University
Roy F. Gilbert, Texas A&M University
Otis W. Gilley, Louisiana Tech University
Gregory Goering, University of Alaska
Rodolfo A. Gonzalez, San Jose State University
Dr. Michael Gordinier, Washington University
Peter Gordon, University of Southern California
Lino A. Graglia, University of Texas
Earl L. Grinols, University of Illinois
Fran Haga, University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Arie Halachmi, Tennessee State University
Dennis Halcoussis, California State University, Northridge
Jon Halvorson, University of North Alabama
Doha abd el Hamid, Exeter University
J. Daniel Hammond, Wake Forest University
Robert F. Hebert, Auburn University
Gary W. Heesacker, Central Washington University
Dale M. Heien, University of California at Davis
John Heineke, Santa Clara University
Arthur D. Hellman, University of Pittsburgh
David Henderson, Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Melvin J. Hinich, University of Texas, Austin
Randall G. Holcombe, Florida State University
James M. Holmes, SUNY-Buffalo
Michael Huebschmann, Oklahoma State University
Michael T. Hughes, Capital University
Lester H. Hunt, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Pat S. Hutton, Canisius College
David Hyman , University of Maryland
Thomas R. Ireland , University of Missouri at St. Louis
Robert Jacobs, Central Washington University
Christina F. Jeffrey, Kennesaw State University, Georgia
D. Bruce Johnsen, George Mason University
Dennis A. Johnson, University of South Dakota
Edward A. Kaschins, Luther College
Dave Kaserman, Auburn University
Jacqueline R. Kasun, Humboldt State University
James Kau, University of Georgia
Peter M. Kerr, Southeast Missouri State University
David C. Klingaman, Ohio University
Kenneth N. Klee, UCLA
Daniel Klein, Santa Clara University
Peter G. Klein, University of Georgia
Bruce Kobayashi, George Mason University
Vladimir Kontorovich, Haverford College
David Kopel, New York University
Alan Charles Kors, University of Pennsylvania
Edgar W. Kossack, Florida Atlantic University
Michael I. Krauss, George Mason University
Robert Krol, California State University at Northridge
David N. Laband, Auburn University
Val Lambson, Brigham Young University
Robert A. Lawson, Capital University
Mark LeBar, Ohio University
Dwight Lee, University of Georgia
Kenneth M. Lehn, University of Pittsburgh
Stanley Liebowitz, University of Texas at Dallas
Leonard Liggio, George Mason University
Dean R. Lillard, Cornell University
Jody Lipford, Presbyterian College
Luis Locay, University of Miami
Donald P. Loftus, University of Florida
Roderick T. Long, Auburn University
Edward J. Lopez, University of North Texas
John R. Lott, Jr., University of Chicago
Nelson Lund, George Mason University
Lynn H. Lutgen, University of Nebraska
Joseph P. Magaddino, California State University, Long Beach
Gregory E. Maggs, George Washington University
Gershon Mandelker, University of Pittsburgh
Geoffrey A. Manne, University of Virginia
Hugh Macaulay, Clemson University
Michael L. Marlow, California Polytechnic State University
Ray Massey, University of Missouri
John Matsusaka, University of Southern California
David N. Mayer, Capital University
James L. Maynard, New Mexico State University
Daniel E. McCarty, Florida Atlantic University
Fred McChesney, Cornell University
James Ross McCown, Florida Atlantic University
Phillip L. McIntosh, Mississippi College
Tom Means, San Jose State University
Roger E. Meiners, University of Texas–Arlington
Robert M. S. McDonald, U. S. Military Academy
David L. McLain, MIT
Abagail McWilliams, Arizona State University, West
Jeffrey A. Miron, Boston University
Carlisle E. Moody, College of William and Mary
James Moore, University of Southern California
John C. Moorhouse, Wake Forest University
Barry Morris, University of North Alabama.
Andrew P. Morriss, Case Western Reserve University
Bernie Munk, University of Pennsylvania
Dale A. Nance, Illinois Institute of Technology
Robert G. Natelson, University of Montana
James Nelson, University of Arizona
Craig M. Newmark, North Carolina State University
Diane Nicholl, Trinidad State Junior College
Bill Norton, Indiana University Southeast
Joe Olson, Hamline University
Lydia Ortega, San Jose State University
Dale Osborne, University of Texas at Dallas
Carol K. Oyster, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse
Christine M. Panyard, University of Detroit
Frederick Paola, University of South Florida
Melburn R. Park, University of Tennessee, Memphis
Jeffrey S. Parker, George Mason University
Allen M. Parkman, University of New Mexico
E. C. Pasour, Jr., North Carolina State University
William S. Peirce, Case Western Reserve University
Mark J. Perry , University of Michigan-Flint
Joseph M. Perry, University of North Florida
Charles E. Peterson, Elon College
Donald L. Peterson, San Diego State University
George Phillies, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Michael Pippenger, University of Alaska
Dan Polsby, Northwestern University
Keith T. Poole, Carnegie-Mellon University
John B. Posthill, North Carolina State University
Saikrishna Prakash, University San Diego
Stephen B. Presser, Northwestern University
Adam C. Pritchard, University of Michigan
Douglas B. Rasmussen, St. John’s University
Eric Rasmusen, Indiana University
Gerard Rault, Loyola University
Will Ray, Ohio State University
Joan Ray, Ohio State University
W. Robert Reed, University of Oklahoma
Glenn Reynolds, University of Tennessee
Morgan Reynolds, Texas A&M University
Patrick T. Reynolds, University of Cincinnati
Larry E. Ribstein, George Mason University
Charles E. Rice, Notre Dame University
John R. Rice, Duke University
Russell Roberts, Washington University
Kelley L. Ross, Los Angeles Valley College
Randall W. Roth , University of Hawaii
Charles Rowley, George Mason University
Daniel C. Russell, University of Arizona
James a Sadowsky, Fordham University
Allen R. Sanderson , University of Chicago
Dave Saurman, San Jose State University
Norman Scarborough, Presbyterian College
Henry Schaffer, North Carolina State University
D. Eric Schansberg, Indiana University (New Albany)
Bill Schroeder, Southern Illinois University
Gerald Scully, University of Texas at Dallas
Barry J. Seldon, The University of Texas at Dallas
Daniel Shapiro, West Virginia University
Stephen Shmanske, California State University, Hayward
William F. Shughart II, University of Mississippi
Don Siegel, Arizona State University West
Gregory M. Silverman, University of Chicago
Dr. Aeon J. Skoble, United States Military Academy
Bradley A. Smith, Capital University
Vernon Smith, University of Arizona
Larry D. Soderquist , Vanderbilt University
Lawrence Southwick, Jr., University at Buffalo
Thomas Sowell, Stanford University
David E. Spencer, Brigham Young University
Mike Sproul, California State University at Northridge
Jeffrey Standen, Willamette University
Mary Zeiss Stange, Skidmore College
Lance K. Stell, Davidson College
William B. Stoebuck, University of Washington
Richard Stroup, Montana State University
Daniel Sutter, University of Oklahoma
Timothy D. Terrell, Liberty University
Clifford F. Thies, Shenandoah University
Henry Thompson, Auburn University
Mark Thornton, Auburn University
Walter N. Thurman, North Carolina State University
Richard Timberlake, University of Georgia
Robert D. Tollison , University of Mississippi
Charlotte Twight, Boise State University
Thomas L. Underwood, Oklahoma State University
James J. Valentini, Columbia University
Jim VanBeek, Blinn College
David Vandercoy, Valparaiso University
James E. Viator, Loyola University of the South
Anne Vogel, Capital University
Eugene Volokh, UCLA
Richard E. Wagner, George Mason University
Allan Walstad, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Kam-Ming Wan, University of Texas at Dallas
Michael R. Ward, University of Illinois
Kenneth M. Washer, Texas A&M University
L. Darnell Weeden, Texas Southern University
John M. Wells, Auburn University
John T. Wenders, University of Idaho
Walter Wessels, North Carolina State University
Richard G. Wilkins, Brigham Young University
Pinata Winoto, University of Mississippi
Raymond L. Wheeler, Central Washington University
Samuel C. Wheeler III, University of Connecticut
Lawrence H. White, University of Georgia
Francis R. Whitehouse Jr., Lynchburg College
Pete Williams, University of North Alabama
Pinata Winoto, University of Mississippi
Thomas G. Winter, University of Tulsa
Michael K. Wohlgenant, North Carolina State University
Roy T. Wortman, Kenyon College
Leland B. Yeager, Auburn University
Edward E. Zajac, University of Arizona
Matt Zwolinski, University of Arizona
Benjamin Zycher, UCLA
Todd Zywicki, George Mason University
Donald J. Boudreaux, Clemson University
David Robinson, Jr., George Washington University
Richard J. Pierce, Jr. , George Washington University
Robert E. Park, George Washington University
Arthur E. Wilmarth, Jr., George Washington University