Guns Used More for Defensive Use Than Crimes

Following research on defensive gun uses, data has shown guns are more prevalent for defensive use rather than crimes.

William English of Georgetown University directed the 2021 National Firearms Survey, which surveyed over 54,000 Americans and identified 16,000 gun owners. The survey was the largest ever involving defensive gun use, almost ten times greater than the next.

Mr. English found that “guns are used defensively by civilian firearms owners in approximately 1.67 million incidents per year. Handguns are the most common firearm employed for self-defense (used in 65.9% of defensive incidents), and in most defensive incidents (81.9%), no shot was fired.”

It was also found that more than half of defensive gun uses involved two or more assailants.