Gun Control in UK., Australia, Brazil and the USA by Jim Butler

The experiences of the United Kingdom and Australia, two island nations whose borders are much easier to control and monitor, should also give American gun control activists pause. The British government banned handguns in 1997 but recently reported that gun crime in England and Wales nearly doubled in the four years from 1998-99 to 2002-03.

Since 1997, serious violent crime has increased by 69%: Robbery is up by 45% and murders up by 54%. Before the handgun ban, armed robberies had went down by 50% from 1993 to 1997, but as soon as the ban went into effect, the robbery rate shot back up, almost to 1993 levels. Criminals who still had their guns had the advantage over their unarmed victims.

When Australia's 1996 gun regulation went into effect the result was similar to the United Kingdom. Crime rates have averaged 32% higher in the six years after the law was passed (from 1997 to 2002) than in 1995. Armed robbery rates showed an increase of 74%.

Recently Brazil citizens defeated a U.N. sponsored referendum to ban guns in their country by an almost two-to-one vote. The Brazilians had seen the futility of progressively stricter gun control laws in their country which simply tilted the balance of power in favor of criminals. Brazil murder rates had risen every year from 1992 to 2002 as these progressively strict gun control laws took effect.

Compare these dismal crime rates in England, Australia and Brazil to the United States which has gone in the opposite direction by passing "right-to-carry laws" in almost all of our states. Not surprising, the murder rate has dropped in those states that have allowed law-abiding citizens to arm themselves.

Illinois and Wisconsin are the only states left in the United States that don't have some form of concealed carry laws.