According to the FDLE statistics for NICS checks, there were 823 thousand firearms sold so far in 2013, 797 thousand sold in 2012, and there were 610 thousand sold in 2011. Now I know that some firearms may be sold more than once, but I also know that more than one firearm can be sold for each check. For example, just this week, I bought two stripped lowers at Spike's tactical, and the guy who was behind me there bought five. That is 7 firearms for two NICS checks.
That means that there are at least two and a quarter million more firearms in Florida now than there were in 2010. In fact, there have been a total of 6,877,866 NICS background checks done in Florida since November of 1998. That number represents one firearm for every two Florida adults. If we are to believe that firearms are the cause of crime, then we should see crime skyrocketing since 2010, but the opposite is true.
But that is not happening. In fact, the number of murders in Florida has remained more or less constant, with there being 966 murders statewide in 1998, and there being 1,009 last year, despite the fact that the population of the state has increased by 22% during that time. This means that the murder rate has DROPPED by about 20% over the last 15 years, despite their being nearly 7 million more firearms.
Homicide isn't the only crime that is not rising. There were 12,000 forcible sex offenses reported in 1998, and 10,000 in 2012. 1998 saw 36,000 robberies, while 2012 saw less than 24,000. and so on. In fact, the state's violent crime rate nearly HALVED from 931 in 1998 to 492 in 2012.
So there you have it: conclusive proof that more guns does NOT equal more crime.
That means that there are at least two and a quarter million more firearms in Florida now than there were in 2010. In fact, there have been a total of 6,877,866 NICS background checks done in Florida since November of 1998. That number represents one firearm for every two Florida adults. If we are to believe that firearms are the cause of crime, then we should see crime skyrocketing since 2010, but the opposite is true.
But that is not happening. In fact, the number of murders in Florida has remained more or less constant, with there being 966 murders statewide in 1998, and there being 1,009 last year, despite the fact that the population of the state has increased by 22% during that time. This means that the murder rate has DROPPED by about 20% over the last 15 years, despite their being nearly 7 million more firearms.
Homicide isn't the only crime that is not rising. There were 12,000 forcible sex offenses reported in 1998, and 10,000 in 2012. 1998 saw 36,000 robberies, while 2012 saw less than 24,000. and so on. In fact, the state's violent crime rate nearly HALVED from 931 in 1998 to 492 in 2012.
So there you have it: conclusive proof that more guns does NOT equal more crime.
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