This New Study That Purports To Show Strict Gun Control Laws Reduce Gun Deaths

Over at PowerLineBlog, John Hinderaker points out that the new study finds the supposed gain is almost entirely in one category: suicide:

Fleegler classified the 50 states according to how many gun laws they have. Using an alternative measure, he classified them according to the effectiveness of their gun laws as rated by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. He then looked at gun-related fatalities on a state by state basis, including both homicides and suicides, from 2007 through 2010. The key data are summarized in Table 2, which shows how the 50 states are ranked and the suicide and homicide statistics that Fleegler used. In making his findings, Fleegler purports to have controlled for a wide array of other variables. It will take some time for those with expertise in statistics and access to Fleegler’s data to determine whether there are technical flaws in his analysis.

But what jumps out at you when you read Fleegler’s article is that the decrease in fatalities that he documents relates almost exclusively to suicides. What his study really shows is that strict gun laws have little or no impact on gun homicides...

Even more interesting: the study looked at the 50 states -- but did not include the District of Columbia Hmmm: strictest gun control laws -- highest murder rates -- I wonder why they were left out?

One of the unfortunate problems that the gun rights side has is that the antigun side spends a LOT of money on studies like Fleegler's, promoting research.  Our side simply doesn't bother.  That would involve paying people to do research who in many cases would love to do it full-time, but have day jobs that they have to go to instead.  And that's why their side keeps winning.