More Guns, Less Crime an interview with John Lott

Dr. John Lott interview

John Lott wrote the book More Guns, Less Crime. The book discusses the pertanent facts to gun ownership in America. Although, there are many anecdotal stories on both sides of the gun argument, Lott argues proper data is needed to infer decisions.
In an interview with John Lott he explicates his position on many of the dogmas perpetrated about guns in our politically correct climate:

Lott: Criminals are deterred by higher penalties. Just as higher arrest and conviction rates deter crime, so does the risk that someone committing a crime will confront someone able to defend him or herself. There is a strong negative relationship between the number of law-abiding citizens with permits and the crime rate—as more people obtain permits there is a greater decline in violent crime rates.

Lott defends his position by showing his study is the biggest crime study in American history. Covering over 18 years and including all 3,054 counties:
Lott: The analysis is based on data for all 3,054 counties in the United States during 18 years from 1977 to 1994

Lott’s analysis wipes away all of the prevalent beliefs made mainstream in our liberal media today. For example, the must believed ‘truth’ that most people are killed by someone they:

Lott: You are referring to the often-cited statistic that 58 percent of murder victims are killed by either relatives or acquaintances. However, what most people don't understand is that this "acquaintance murder" number also includes gang members killing other gang members, drug buyers killing drug pushers, cabdrivers killed by customers they picked up for the first time, prostitutes and their clients, and so on. "Acquaintance" covers a wide range of relationships. The vast majority of murders are not committed by previously law-abiding citizens. Ninety percent of adult murderers have had criminal records as adults.

His books, and subsequently the in depth research has been almost completely ignored by the media. One day we may all have to pay the price for such ignorance.

Read the whole interview here.