Many Americans View Guns as Safety Devices

Despite recent school shootings, new research finds that many Americans
don’t
view gun ownership as dangerous, but rather as a form of security like a
seat
belt or smoke detector, the Los Angeles Times reported April 11.According to
the U.S. Justice Department, there are more than 30 million loaded, unlocked
guns in American homes. According to a recent poll, one in four U.S.
households have a gun for self-defense. Gary Kleck, a criminologist at
Florida State University, conducted research to determine how often guns are
mentioned, brandished, or fired in self-defense. His research found that
guns
are used for self-defense 2.5 million times a year. Kleck said that victims
who put up armed resistance are less likely to suffer injury or lose
property
than those who struggle, yell for help, or give in.Kleck also said that the
risk of a child being shot by the family gun is “a fictional issue.” He
added, “It’s like a bolt of lightning striking you on a sunny day. It is
possible, but reasonable people don’t take it seriously,” he asserted.A
Gallup Poll conducted last summer found that 60 percent of gun owners said a
firearm makes a house safer. The majority of people surveyed said they owned
a gun for self-defense.