Can Gun Control Work? (Studies in Crime and Public Policy)

Rating:
Summary: An Absolutely Fabulous and Fair-Minded Book
Review: Over the last few years, I've read most of the books written on this subject, from Michael A. Bellesiles' "Arming America" to John Lott's "More Guns, Less Crime."

"Can Gun Control Work?" stands head and shoulders above the rest. First, Jacobs has carefully described the history of gun control in the United States (and for the most part, the book focuses on the US). Second, he takes a careful look at what the problem actually is -- is it accidents? suicides? homicides? Jacobs does a very rigorous (but not dry) job of explaining what the statistics actually show about gun violence -- poking some holes in commonly accepted myths from both sides of the debate.

Finally, I think he does a very good and pragmatic job of looking at what gun control measures may actually work. Our national discussion about gun control is dominated by emotional outbursts about gun rights on the one hand and about gun risks on the other -- this book steers clear of emotion to examine what is really happening, and what we can really do about it.

Jacobs reaches conclusions that will annoy gun rights advocates (gun shows are impossible to police and should probably be banned outright) and conclusions that will annoy anti-gun activists (a ban on handguns would be just as impossible to enforce as our drug laws). He calls 'em as he see 'em.

I would recommend this book to both pro and anti-gun readers without any reservation.