[extropy-chat] Gun control yet again

[Damien Broderick]

At 08:42 AM 4/2/2004 -0800, Mike wrote:

> > Australia is seeking to curtail the use of swords in self-defense
> > of self, home and property.
>
>Have I ever said I'm not surprised? While crime is skyrocketing, in
>spite of police jiggering of crime stats (like calling multiple
>muggings on one night a single crime) in those countries, here in NH,
>we have the lowest crime rates in the entire US. Our murder rate is
>comparable to Switzerland, while our property crime rates are many
>times lower than the rest of the industrialized nations.

I drag myself numbly again thru some googling. NH in 2000 had a population 
of 1 235 786 and 22 people were murdered. My home state of Victoria had a 
population of 4 765 900, 3.85 times larger. The number murdered seems to 
have been about 60, rather than the pro rata NH rate of 85.

See 
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/26/1061663788524.html?from=storyrhs

(Lately there's been a lot of naughty internecine murderous action between 
crime families/gangs, which will have changed the stats, and has no bearing 
on the general topic.)

Damien Broderick