Quote of the day–David B. Kopel

There is no doubt that an abused woman is at much greater risk if her abuser has a gun. However, research shows no heightened risk to an abuse victim who lives apart from the abuser and who has her own gun. An abuser’s being armed creates a 7.59 odds ratio for increased risk of femicide. Living alone and having a gun yields an odds ratio of 0.22, far below the 2.0 level necessary for statistical significance. Jacquelyn Campbell et al., Risk Factors for Femicide in Abusive Relationships, 93 AM.J.PUB. HEALTH 1089, 1090-92 (2003). Petitioners and their amici relentlessly cite variants of the first figure, but ignore the second figure.


David B. Kopel
Brief of The International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA), The International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI), Maryland State Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police, Southern States Police Benevolent Association, 29 Elected California District Attorneys, San Francisco Veteran Police Officers Association, Long Beach Police Officers Association, Texas Police Chiefs Association, Texas Municipal Police Association, New York State Association of Auxiliary Police,Mendocino County, Calif., Sheriff Thomas D. Allman, Oregon State Rep. Andy Olson, National Police Defense Foundation, Law Enforcement Alliance of America, and The Independence Institute as amici curiae in support of respondent.
D.C. v. Heller
[Typical. Crow about the dangers but none of the benefits of firearms.–Joe]

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