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Crime Plunges in Pro-gun Town

Copyright 2001 by United Press International. All rights reserved.

NewsMax.com Wires Wednesday, March 28, 2001

Here is a tale of two cities: one that banned handguns and one that required guns. Guess which town enjoyed a plunge in crime.

In June 1981, Morton Grove, Ill., a northern suburb of Chicago, passed an ordinance banning handguns. In reaction, Kennesaw, Ga., a northern suburb of Atlanta, passed an ordinance requiring heads of households "to maintain a firearm" and ammunition "to provide for the civil defense" and "protect the general welfare of the City and its inhabitants."

"Some people seem to think our residents are not armed," Morton Grove Police Chief George Incledon, told United Press International on Tuesday. The chief pointed out that the law did not prohibit ownership of shotguns or rifles, and that gun collectors were exempt.

Many citizens prefer shotguns to handguns for home defense. Incledon did not define "gun collector." Morton Grove residents could store their handguns outside the village limits or at a licensed gun club.

Moreover, Incledon recalled, out of a population of 25,000, only "a few people, maybe 10," surrendered handguns to police in the months after the law went into effect.

Similarly, Kennesaw's law provides so many loopholes that, in effect, no one is compelled to obey it. Convicted felons are, of course, excluded. Also exempt are those "who suffer a physical disability [undefined] which would prohibit them from using such a firearm" and those who "conscientiously oppose firearms as a result of religious doctrine or belief [also undefined]." Inhabitants may claim exemptions for moral or financial reasons, said Detective Cpl. Craig Graydon, a Kennesaw Police Department spokesman, in a phone interview Tuesday.

According to a National Rifle Association document, the law was not expected to increase gun ownership. "It was expected that publicity surrounding the ordinance would warn criminals that residents were capable of protecting themselves and their community and would do so with the government's blessing," the document said.

The results?

Not much of anything in Morton Grove. "We were fortunate to have a low rate of violent crime before the ordinance was passed, and we are fortunate now that the rate is still low," Incledon told UPI.

But Kennesaw's crime rate plummeted. In fact, the number of some crimes declined amid soaring population growth. For example, in figures the city provided to the FBI Uniform Crime Report, Kennesaw had 54 burglaries in 1981 – the year before the gun ordinance – with a population of 5,242. In 1999, with a population of 19,000, only 36 burglaries were reported.

The rate of violent crime is approximately four times lower than the state and national rates, Kennesaw's Crime Statistics Report said. "Violent crime is almost nonexistent in residential neighborhoods," Graydon told UPI. The detective, who has been with the police department since 1986, said the isolated exceptions take place in motels or in commercial areas.

Graydon said he has lived in the area since 1979 and has heard no open opposition to the gun law. This remains the case even though most of Kennesaw's newcomers are from northern states.

Asked whether the ordinance has attracted new people to Kennesaw, Graydon said: "Not specifically the law itself, but quite a few people cite the low crime rate, which a lot of people do attribute, at least in part, to the gun law."

The detective said Kennesaw used state criteria for carrying a concealed handgun. "It's not that difficult" to get the license, he said. Unlike some other jurisdictions, Georgia does not require permit holders to submit the serial numbers of their handguns to the police. "We don't register firearms down here," Graydon said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Handgun Control's Washington office was invited to comment on Kennesaw's crime statistics. A spokeswoman there replied that no one from the organization could address the issue until after a press conference.

Copyright 2001 by United Press International. All rights reserved.

-- Uncle Bob (unclb0b@aol.com), March 28, 2001

Answers

Yes, every American citizen should carry a gun. That would solve everything.

-- Tommy H. (pro@gun.moron), March 28, 2001.

Well it does look like it solved alot there.

And fwiw, I am now a proud handgun owner also, although I said I never would be. Gotta run, I hear the NWO crowd calling me. :-)

-- sumer (shh@aol.con), March 29, 2001.

Unfortunately, this has already been discussed and debunked. I live near Kennesaw, and can tell you that the crime rate there is roughly the same as the rest of Cobb county. But you don't have to take my word for it- here's a link to official stats showing that crime in Kennesaw has increased at a faster rate than any other city in Cobb county, most of the major Atlanta suburbs, and Atlanta itself. Crime Stats for Georgia On page 15, you'll find stats for Kennesaw at line 179. As you can see, Kennesaw's crime rate was 35.8% for 1998, with 388 reported crimes, 1.6% of which were violent and 34.2% property. At that time, Kennesaw had a population of 10,849. On page 21, you'll see that crime in Kennesaw has increased by 39% between 1985 and 1995, and 20% between '95 and '96. That's the largest increase in Cobb county for the same period.

-- Tarzan the Ape Man (tarzan@swingingthroughthejunglewithouta.net), March 29, 2001.