National Academy of Science on Gun Control

Well, this says a lot.

While it is an article of faith among gun-control proponents that government restrictions on firearms reduces violence and crime, two new U.S. studies could find no evidence to support such a conclusion.

The National Academy of Sciences issued a 328-page report based on 253 journal articles, 99 books, 43 government publications, a survey of 80 different gun-control laws and some of its own independent study. In short, the panel could find no link between restrictions on gun ownership and lower rates of crime, firearms violence or even accidents with guns.

Of course the article goes on to show the report doing a lot of "but but but" type statements. And then calling for more studies.

Funniest thing about this is that it started from a seriously bent study started during the Clinton Administration.

The panel was established during the Clinton administration and all but one of its members were known to favor gun control.

So, what were the real results? Obviously the study didn't support their desired results.
[This is just my conjecture, but please.]

Read the Press Release first. You'll find it interesting. I especially liked these parts:

Research linking firearms to criminal violence and suicide is seriously limited by a lack of credible information on who owns firearms and on individuals' encounters with violence, the report says.

And

One of the largest barriers to better understanding gun violence is the lack of high-quality and extensive data on gun ownership and use. Some people have expressed concerns about expanding the government's data on gun ownership. Others have noted that some individuals -- especially those who use guns illegally -- will always be reluctant to disclose ownership information. Yet scientists in other fields, such as health care, have found effective ways to collect individual data on sensitive topics while protecting privacy. Research is needed -- and can indeed be done -- to determine whether ownership data can be accurately collected with minimal risk to legitimate privacy concerns, the report says.

Hmmm. Let's see. I translate this as saying, "All guns should be registered so that we can analyze the data on owners and violations of the law. You see the medical industry has privacy protections and they can do their research." -- They seem to be missing that indeed your privacy for medical matters has laws controlling access, but no one will ever try and confiscate your health.

Firearms are bought and sold in both formal markets, such as gun shops, and informal ones, such as the underground economy.

What? I'm missing that other section where legal gun owners are allowed to sell to other legal gun owners. Is this part of the "underground economy."

And like all good government supported studies, they call for more.

More studies also should be conducted on potential links between firearms policies and suicide rates.

You can review the report at the NAS website. Not the nicest format, but they'd rather you pay for it. Make certain that you go to Appendix A and read the dissent by James Q. Wilson or Right to Carry studies and the reports findings.