Gun ownership, poverty, and mental health associations with crime: A cross-state comparison
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/17488958211060473 |
| Published date | 01 April 2023 |
| Date | 01 April 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958211060473
Criminology & Criminal Justice
2023, Vol. 23(2) 257 –272
© The Author(s) 2021
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DOI: 10.1177/17488958211060473
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Gun ownership, poverty, and
mental health associations
with crime: A cross-state
comparison
Sven Smith
Christopher J Ferguson
Robert Askew
Stetson University, USA
Jonathan Pitts
University of Kentucky, USA
Alan Hinderleider
Emory University, USA
Abstract
Violent crime is a concern in the United States. Past research has suggested different correlates,
including poverty, mental health disorders and the presence of guns. One particular theory,
named the facilitation hypothesis, states that firearms enhance the power of an aggressor, they
reduce the necessity of a physical attack, and encourage those who may not otherwise resort to
violence. We look at various social factors and their relationship regarding different indicators of
violent crime. We find that at the state level, gun ownership is correlated with violent crimes and
income inequality with homicides specifically and we find support for the facilitation hypothesis.
Future public policies which target these issues appear likely to bear fruit toward the goal of
reducing crime.
Keywords
Crime, facilitation, guns, poverty, violence
Corresponding author:
Christopher J Ferguson, Department of Psychology, Stetson University, 421 N. Woodland Blvd., Unit 8281,
DeLand, FL 32723, USA.
Email: CJFerguson1111@aol.com
1060473CRJ0010.1177/17488958211060473Criminology & Criminal JusticeSmith et al.
research-article2021
Article
258 Criminology & Criminal Justice 23(2)
Violent crime is a salient social issue that generally signifies undercurrents of immorality
within a society, but the specific mechanisms involved in motivating individuals to com-
mit violent crimes have not yet been well established by the scientific community. Some
studies have suggested that access to guns may predict violent outcomes (Altheimer,
2010; Cook and Ludwig, 2006; Moore and Bergner, 2016). Others point to poverty and
income inequality as the main indicator of criminal activity (Brown and Males, 2011;
Hannon and DeFina, 2005). There is also a common belief within the field of criminol-
ogy that most perpetrators of violent crime have also been victims of criminal abuse
(Crocker, 1998; Smith, 2005). Others have further suggested that mental health disorders
are a significant indicator of criminality (Sesar et al., 2015).
This study examined these various social factors and their potential statistical associa-
tion to several outcomes related to violent crime—murder/manslaughter rate, aggravated
assault rate, larceny theft rate, community supervision, and incarceration—to determine
which predictors are most strongly linked with crime in the United States. We used state-
reported rates of gun ownership, depression, and income inequality and compared them
to crime and adult correctional systems data provided by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, respectively, to examine the
potential effect of each on community violence.
Guns
One of the most hotly contested debates in criminal theory focuses on the relation-
ship between gun ownership and crime rates. While some suggest that access to
firearms increases the risk of crime (Altheimer, 2010; Cook and Ludwig, 2006;
Moore and Bergner, 2016), others have contested that it actually reduces the risk by
empowering potential victims (Lott, 2000). Part of the difficulty in reaching a con-
sensus is due to the difficult nature of studying this link. Official gun ownership
statistics may be underreported because the statistics for violent crimes committed
are known to be heavily influenced by different reporting and recording practices.
While much of this research is therefore conducted on a limited basis, one study
accounting for data from over 1000 US counties found that the rates of homicide,
rape, assault, and robbery increased as firearm prevalence increased (Moore and
Bergner, 2016). But considerable variation may be found within a survey population,
as another US study comparing data from urban, suburban, and rural counties found
a relationship between gun ownership and homicide rates in metro areas but not in
other environments (Moore, 2017). This suggests the possibility that the relation-
ship between guns and crime is dependent upon other societal or contextual
factors.
Income inequality
While it is a common tendency within the public sphere to place blame upon the individu-
als who commit crimes, many scholars have pointed to poverty as a significant predictor
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