When Guns are criminalized, only criminals will have guns

This excerpt is from an online article by John Lott, a Fox News Contributor and Research Scientist at the University of Maryland.

How often have we screamed about this!

Since banning handguns in 1974, Jamaica’s murder rate has become one of the highest in the world.
Do gun bans really stop criminals from getting guns? Americans need not look no further than the massive gun battle with armed gangs fighting police and soldiers that took place in Kingston, Jamaica today. At least 30 people were killed in the fighting. It is a huge number for a small island nation of fewer than 3 million people, but unfortunately murder is so common in Jamaica that these murders won't even be noticed in the annual crime numbers.

With Chicago's Mayor Daley again claiming that a gun ban is necessary to keep Chicagoans safe, Jamaica and other countries with gun bans might teach Americans a lesson.

Everyone wants to keep guns away from criminals, but the question is: who is most likely to obey the law? In the case of a ban, every instance we have data for shows that when a ban has been imposed, murder rates rise. In America, people are all to familiar with the increased murder rates in Chicago and Washington, D.C.. But supporters blame those gun control failures on the ease of getting guns in the rest of the country. Yet, even in island nations such as Ireland, the U.K., and Jamaica -- all of which have imposed bans -- their easily defendable borders and lack of obvious neighbors haven't stopped drug gangs from getting either drugs or the guns that they use to protect their valuable product.

Jamaica wasn't always the extremely violent country that it is today (see the figure here). Jamaica experienced large increases in murder rates since enacting a handgun bans in 1974. Since the gun ban, Jamaica’s murder rate has soared to become one of the highest in the world, currently at least double that of other Caribbean countries. Jamaica’s murder rate hasn’t sunk below 10 murders per 100,000 people since the gun ban went into effect.

Even before the recent rampage, Jamaica's murder rate was about six times higher than before the ban went into effect. Indeed, Jamaica's current murder rate is so high -- at about 60 per hundred thousand people -- that 30 additional deaths in one day will barely be noticeable: 30 deaths will only increase the murder rate from about 60 to 61.

Just as Mexico's President Calderon showed last week, it is always easy for politicians to blame crime on guns. The crime data in Jamaica shows the same thing as the crime data in Chicago and Washington have shown. It is the law-abiding, good citizens, not the criminals, who are disarmed by gun bans

Synopsis of Second Amendmend Bills in Louisiana Legislature

-HB9 WOOTON ASSIGNED TO HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE WEAPONS/FIREARMS: Provides with respect to reciprocity agreements regarding concealed handgun permits

-HB16 WOOTON ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY B WEAPONS/HANDGUNS: Provides for the certification of concealed handgun permit instructors

-HB42 HARDY ASSIGNED TO HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE WEAPONS/FIREARMS: Increases penalties for carrying a firearm or discharging a firearm during a parade (OR INCREASE GF EX See Note)

-HB60 WOOTON ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY B WEAPONS/HANDGUNS: Amends concealed handgun permit laws

-HB68 H.BURNS ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY B WEAPONS/HANDGUNS: Provides with respect to concealed handgun permits

-HB141 WOOTON ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY B WEAPONS/FIREARMS: Provides that applications to possess or transfer certain firearms may be filed on approved electronic forms (EG SEE FISC NOTE SD EX)

-HB158 WOOTON ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY B WEAPONS/HANDGUNS: Provides with respect to the issuance of concealed handgun permits

-HB235 WOOTON ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY B LAW ENFORCE/OFFICERS: Authorizes retired law enforcement officers to purchase their weapons (EG INCREASE LF EX See Note)

-HB255 WOOTON PENDING SENATE FINAL PASSAGE PAROLE: Provides for technical revision of parole statutes

-HB348 LORUSSO ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY C WEAPONS/FIREARMS: Amends penalties imposed for a convicted felon in possession of a firearm (EG INCREASE GF EX See Note)

-HB556 WOOTON ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY B WEAPONS/HANDGUNS: Amends firearm-free zone provisions with respect to concealed handgun permit holders

-HB562 BALDONE ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY C LAW ENFORCE/OFFICERS: Expands the crime of disarming a peace officer to include the taking of all forms of law enforcement equipment

-HB609 WHITE ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY C CRIME: Provides with respect to the crime of home invasion (EG SEE FISC NOTE GF EX See Note)

-HB1260 HAZEL PENDING SENATE FINAL PASSAGE WEAPONS/FIREARMS: Provides with respect to the possession of a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon by a person convicted of certain felonies

-HB1272 H.BURNS ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY C WEAPONS/HANDGUNS: Provides with respect to concealed handgun permits

-HCR18 LEBAS FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE COMMENDATIONS: Commends the National Rifle Association for developing the Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Education Program in schools

-HCR19 HARDY ASSIGNED TO HOUSE & GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS LEGISLATIVE OFFICERS: Authorizes an assistant sergeant at arms of the House of Representatives and Senate to carry an approved firearm following training

-HR9 HARDY ASSIGNED TO HOUSE & GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS LEGISLATIVE OFFICERS: Authorizes an assistant sergeant at arms of the House of Representatives to carry an approved firearm following training

-SB81 MARTINY PENDING HOUSE FINAL PASSAGE WEAPONS: Changes restrictions on statewide concealed handgun permits and adds an exception from criminal acts. (8/15/10)

-SB152 ADLEY ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY B

WEAPONS: Enacts the Louisiana Firearms Freedom Act.

-SB174 J.R.SMITH ASSIGNED TO HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE WEAPONS: Provides for training course requirements for a concealed weapons permit for combat veterans. (8/15/10)

-SB175 CROWE ASSIGNED TO SENATE JUDICIARY B

WEAPONS: Enacts the Louisiana Firearms Freedom Act. (8/15/10)

-SB526 MURRAY PENDING SENATE FINAL PASSAGE PUBLIC BUILDINGS/GROUNDS: Prohibits firearms or other explosive devices on property belonging to the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board. (gov sig)

-SB534 HEBERT PENDING HOUSE REFERRAL PUBLIC LANDS: Allows the possession of firearms on certain public lands. (8/15/10)