AUSTRALIA’S 1996 GUN LAW REFORMS HALTED MASS SHOOTINGS FOR 22 YEARS: A RESPONSE TO CRITICISM FROM GARY KLECK
AUSTRALIA’S 1996 GUN LAW REFORMS HALTED MASS SHOOTINGS FOR 22 YEARS: A RESPONSE TO CRITICISM FROM GARY KLECK
Author(s): Simon Chapman, Philip AlpersSubject(s): Security and defense, Criminology, Victimology, Penal Policy
Published by: Addleton Academic Publishers
Keywords: firearms; gun control; legislation; mass shootings; Australia; suicide;
Summary/Abstract: We reply to criticisms made by prominent anti-gun control researcher Gary Kleck of our widely reported 2016 study on the impact of Australia’s historic 1996 gun law reforms on mass shootings and firearm-related deaths. Thirteen mass fatal shootings in 18 years were followed by 22 years with no such incidents, with the probability of this being a chance occurrence calculated at 1:200,000 against. We concentrate on Kleck’s efforts to repudiate our conclusions by redefining mass shootings; his argument that mass shooters do not maximise the lethal potential of their semi-automatic weapons and so could just as well use (legal) single shot firearms; and that when mass shooters move about in their shooting locations, such events are improperly classified as mass shootings, rather than “sprees.”
Journal: Contemporary Readings in Law and Social Justice
- Issue Year: 10/2018
- Issue No: 1
- Page Range: 94-103
- Page Count: 10
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF