Handguns, Not Assault Rifles, Drive Murder Statistics
An analysis of FBI Uniform Crime Reports data indicates that banning so-called “assault rifles” would not substantially reduce homicide rates. The statistics show that handguns are the firearm category most closely tied to murder totals.
Two broader trends are visible in the same data. First, violent crime across the United States dropped sharply through the 1990s. Second, improvements in trauma care have lowered the mortality rate for gunshot wounds, separate from any changes in weapon legislation.
