Do Triggers Pull Fingers? A Look at the Criminal Misuse of Guns in Canada

Abstract

Advocates of restrictive gun laws contend that simply having a firearm available can precipitate violence, transforming an angry encounter into murder, or a fit of depression into an impulsive suicide. In other words: triggers pull fingers. Supporters of civilian gun ownership, on the other hand, argue that, while criminals should not have firearms, guns are a positive social force in the hands of solid citizens. Firearms are even said to be indispensable for protection and for keeping the peace.

This paper examines the available Canadian statistics on criminal misuse of firearms, searching for connections between criminal violence and civilian firearms owners. First, the paper provides a brief review of current firearms laws in Canada. Next, civilian firearms owners and criminals who misuse firearms are compared. In order to probe behind the published statistics, a number of Special Requests to Statistics Canada are reported on.

Keywords: Canada, Firearms, Gun Control, Self Protection, Hunting, Statistics, Civilian Gun Owners, Violent Crime, Criminology, International