About Common Responses to Typical Positions
Many gun policy discussions follow familiar patterns, and the most persuasive responses rest on credible, citable evidence rather than talking points. One frequently raised question is whether firearms are used more often to commit crimes or to stop them. A useful reference is the 2013 Institute of Medicine panel report on firearm violence research, produced after President Obama directed federal agencies to study gun violence following the December 2012 Newtown shooting. The panel, chaired by AAAS chief executive Alan Leshner, noted that most national surveys estimate defensive gun uses by victims are at least as common as offensive uses by criminals, with annual estimates ranging from about 500,000 to more than 3 million.
The same report also acknowledged the scale of firearm harm, citing more than 30,000 deaths and 70,000 injuries in 2010, and said open questions remained, including whether owning a gun makes a household safer overall. Responding honestly means citing both sides of that record: defensive use is common by most survey measures, while estimates vary widely depending on method. The panel’s seven research priorities, from the effectiveness of programs targeting illegal gun use to whether keeping guns from violent people reduces harm, mirror many positions gun owners hear. Advocates who know where a statistic comes from, and its limits, earn far more credibility than those who simply repeat a number.
Key Facts
- 1990s: Congress cuts the CDC injury prevention budget, curtailing federally funded firearm research
- 2010: More than 30,000 firearm deaths and 70,000 injuries in the U.S., per the IOM panel
- December 2012: Newtown shooting prompts federal executive actions on gun violence research
- 2013: Institute of Medicine panel reports defensive gun use estimates of 500,000 to more than 3 million per year
- 2013: Panel identifies seven priority areas for firearm violence research