Gun control: the Australian experience

Since the issue seems to be attracting a lot of attention recently, after the massacre late last year, I'd like to bring attention of people to the Australian exp of gun control legislation. I posted this in response to GB's poll thread, but I think it deserves a larger audience.

Australia, introduced heavy gun-control policies (1996 Law), in response to a 1996 massacre in Tasmania where 35 dies. There had been 13 mass shooting in the 18 years before the Law was enacted, none since (up to 2006, year of the article below). All deaths associated with guns declined, including homicides, suicides and accidents.

Since the US and Australia share a common British background, both immigration countries, it's worth checking that. The paper below is a 10-year report on the impact of the Law.

Ref and link (full pdf text available):

Australia's 1996 gun law reforms: faster falls in firearm deaths, firearm suicides, and a decade without mass shootings
S Chapman,P Alpers,K Agho,M Jones, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaSchool of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2006; sc@med.usyd.edu.au
Correspondence to: Professor S Chapman

http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2704353/reload=1;jsessionid=GnF9oa9DhJpbvQJtQV64.20

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Renato. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rhlpedrosa/ OnExposure member http://www.onexposure.net/ Good shooting and good luck (after Ed Murrow)