Reality Check: More Minnesotans Own Guns, Violent Crime Remains Low

'ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — Minnesota set a record last year for the number of gun background checks the FBI conducted in the state.

More people are carrying guns than ever before, but the crime rate remains relatively low. WCCO’s Pat Kessler is looking at the numbers, and giving them a Reality Check.

We took a hard look at the numbers, and found: Minnesota has a high rate of gun ownership, and a relatively low rate of violent crime.

Minnesota’s violent crime rate hit a 50-year low in 2016, according to the FBI.'

The reporters shock was obvious lol

Source: http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2018/02/15/reality-check-gun-permit-background-checks/#comment-727741

 

Yep, let's bore folk with spurious relationship!

 

And as the resident expert on spurious you would know best.

 

Loved how rover77 liked you for stating drivel! Its fitting.

I only refer to empirical evidence.

 

Is there empirical evidence that I stated drivel? Or is that just your opinion of what I stated?

 

I don't think the empirical approach is needed for certainty in outcome

 

So then you don't "only refer to empirical evidence"

 

Facts are facts. I know you don’t like that.

 

The word you're looking for is "reality".

Clearly your slide rule claim that "more guns = more death" isn't true in Minnesota.

You know where it's true? In places full of murderous criminals, like where the "studies" you like to parrot took place.

What's the next study? Headline: Moar drugs = more drug addicts! Experiment location: Crack house on the corner.

 

Care to prove that with real evidence? I'm bored of course of the grunt that you people rely on, as you use spurious conclusion because you're just not prepared/able to refer to actual research

 

Arguably your best ever comment. Well done! Let's get you progressing to content now....

 

Yes.

There are more guns in Minnesota.

There are not more deaths in Minnesota.

That's called reality.

 

Probably has more to do with demographics, white and rural.
Did I mention the traditional Lutheran work-ethic in this part of the country? Yeah most people are not Lutheran but the values carry over in the regional culture. Same thing in Iowa.

Yes there are some Hmong gangs (the community originated from refugees that fled during the Vietnam war) but at least they have strong family.
Homicide rates seem to be lower among Asian gangs for some reason. I wonder why that it is...

Looks like demographics are a stronger predictor of gun homicides than amount and/or availability of guns is.

 

It might have something to do with a gun needing a person willing to murder someone to commit crime.

Just spitballing here.

Therefore, the amount of death in any given area is how many murderers there are, not how many guns are there.

 

Spurious conclusion grunt. You can't achieve more!

 

I didn't reach a conclusion.

I said there are more guns in Minnesota (and, by the way, the US as a whole).

I also said there are less deaths in Minnesota (and, by the way, the US as a whole).

Clearly, we have more guns, but we do not have more death.

What's your conclusion here?

 

Indeed. You have merely referred to spurious relationship. Well done for admitting your limitation.

 

Then explain it to me.

For the last 25+ years record numbers of firearms have been sold in the US.

For the last 25+ years violent crime has steadily declined.

Give us all your take.

 

There's no explanation needed. Spurious relationship, by definition, has to be rejected. We know that, once other crime control variables is included, results aren't convenient for the pro-gunning herd

 

Crimes were also pretty low in Switzerland traditionally, but that was probably because everyone was middle class.
In most of the cantons there was a gun in every house (I know it's still required by law in Tucino) so the men would all be ready at a moment's in case of invasion.

Now, just a border away in Italy the crime rate suddenly skyrocketed. The contrast several decades ago used to be even greater than it is today. And the crime rate only increased the further South in Italy you went. Even today I think Italy is only barely a First World country by many metrics. (sorry if getting off topic here)

 

So 25 years of record firearm sales and 25 years of declining violence is a spurious relationship.

Well then explain what offset the effect of firearms to such a degree for us for the last 25 years.

It must have been something big, to have that much effect.

Go ahead and slide rule that one for me.

 

Of course it is. There are multiple factors that impact on crime. Its decidedly ignorant not to know that!

 

Looks like guns isn't the primary factor though.
(or rather to say, somehow the offenders always manage to find a way of getting their hands on them)

 

Well then, if guns cause a lot of death, what has lowered the violent crime rates for the last 25 years to such a drastic extent.