I saw a summary of the FBI report earlier today. They were mystified - crime rates continued to drop, even though the economy was down and there was more reason to rob and steal and be angry at other people. There was just no politically correct way to account for the dropping crime rates.

I had a pretty good idea what it was and started to do some research on gun sales over the corresponding period, but I was interrupted and forgot about my little research project. Fortunately, I found this article by Bob at The Gun Counter - he says what I wanted to say:

Violent crime continues to plummet as gun ownership skyrockets

No, silly. That isn’t how the Federal Bureau of Investigation would characterize the results of Crime in the United States 2009.

But they did note an across the board drop in violent crime, despite the dire economic circumstances we find ourselves in.

The common assumption held by many is that crime is motivated by economic desperation. As we are in a recession and the real unemployment rate is well over 15% once you factor in the under-employed and those who have simply stopped looking, falling crime rates come as a real shock.

And they have been significant declines.

Each of the violent crime categories decreased from 2008—murder (7.3 percent), robbery (8.0 percent), aggravated assault (4.2 percent), and forcible rape (2.6 percent).

During 2009, 43.9 percent of all property crimes in the U.S. were recorded in the South, with 22.7 percent in the West, 20.8 percent in the Midwest, and 12.6 percent in the Northeast.

Each of the property crime categories also dropped from 2008—motor vehicle theft (17.1 percent), larceny-theft (4.0 percent), and burglary (1.3 percent).

Among the 1,318,398 violent crimes were 15,241 murders; 88,097 forcible rapes; 408,217 robberies; and 806,843 aggravated assaults.

Among the 9,320,971 property crimes were an estimated 2,199,125 burglaries; 6,327,230 larceny-thefts; 794,616 thefts of motor vehicles; and 58,871 arsons.

During 2009, the South accounted for 42.5 percent of all violent crime in the nation, followed by the West (22.9 percent), the Midwest (19.6 percent), and the Northeast (15.0 percent).

This all occurred in the same year that Americans purchased 14 million firearms—more than the combined active armies of the top 21 countries in the world. We also purchased an estimated 14+ billion rounds of ammunition during that same time period. It is also worth remembering that these purchases were made during a year where gun rights were ascendant, and Americans could carry weapons in more areas as firearm owner’s rights continued to go mainstream.

It is fair to compare these two seemingly unrelated facts? You’re damn right it is.

These data explode the fallacy told by the media, anti-gun organizations, and a shrinking number of politicians that “more guns equals more crime.”

* * * * *

I have read a lot of gun blogs and websites, some regularly, some infrequently. I think I fall into the category of a "typical gun owner". I don't hunt. I do enjoy the physical and mental discipline of precision target shooting. I have spent many happy hours at my local range producing pops and bangs and making holes as close as possible to the bull's-eye on a piece of paper as far away as I'm able. I own "more than a half-dozen" firearms" and I'm always lusting after another but usually resisting the urge.

As it happens, I grew up in a gun-free home. I first handled a pistol at age 22 in the Air Force. Later I was trained to be an expert marksman "for the convenience of the government".

I'm old and somewhat disabled and I cannot fight or outrun an attacker. So I have a concealed handgun license and frequently carry for self-defense. That ties in with the Gun Counter article. The law says that my weapon must be carried concealed; that's so it won't frighten or offend anyone; but it also keeps the potential criminals guessing. They don't know if I have one or not. They don't know if that sweet old lady is packing or not. THAT'S why your crime rate is down, mister FBI.

Even a gangbanger who dropped out of high school can calculate the cost/benefit analysis of the contents of a victim's wallet versus a hollow-point in the brain.