Is America getting more violent or is it a question that some just expect it to?

Here’s some disturbing news: According to the FBI, over 1.5 million background checks on potential gun buyers were requested by gun dealers to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System in December. Of the 1.5 million background checks nearly 500 000 were in the six days prior to Christmas day. Even more eye opening is the fact that on Dec 23rd there were 102, 222 background checks alone, making it the second busiest single day for buying guns in history.

At present there have been a variety of theories posited to explain the high incidence of gun purchases. From citizens concerned about a stalled economy and the expectation that it will exacerbate a crime wave, the declining numbers of police officers and the more likely explanation with the incidence of high profile violent incidents, many see it only a matter of time before tighter firearms laws are introduced in the future.

Anti gun campaigners on the other hand argue that fear-mongering courtesy of the NRA has led to more guns being owned by the same few people who already own guns as opposed to new individuals being inspired to buy guns for the first time.

All of which points to the idea that for many living in America has become a violent place or at the very least people are expecting the incidence of violence to get higher. Never mind that in actuality the homicide rate has trended to an all time low of 7% which corresponds to a lower incidence of violence historically (see graphs). Either way those disposed to violence aren’t taking any chances, which is another way of saying, you can pretty much be assured there’s more violence on the way.

Don’t you wish you were in the business of selling rifles too? Unless of course you already are….

telegraph.co.uk