Defensive Gun Uses Occur About Five Times More Often Than Criminals Use a Gun in Crime

May 9, 2026 | Defensive Gun Use, Original Research

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) estimates there were approximately 330,000 violent victimizations involving a firearm in 2021. That same year there were estimated 1.67 million defensive gun uses. That is defensive gun uses are 5.06 times more than firearms used in crime.

johnrlott

4 Comments

  1. Donald Ray Smith

    Statistics do not lie, but Statisticians do!
    Especially when the data isn’t examined properly and use the data to fit their agenda.

    • johnrlott

      Can you expand on your point? I am not clear what your point is.

      • Jack

        There are statistics and statisticians – when the two agree after an honest look at and interpretation of the data, and its not presented in a biased manner, and follows the data to its logical conclusion – then you have people like John Lott offering an honest evaluation and presentation of what is reality.

        Then there are statistics and statisticians which are completely biased, cherry picked/picking data to plug into a presentation that’s designed to only support their bias – we call these people, collectively, anti-gun organizations and liars.

        • johnrlott

          Thank you.

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On The Vicki McKenna Show: To Discuss U.S. Crime Trends

On The Vicki McKenna Show: To Discuss U.S. Crime Trends

Dr. John Lott talked to Vicki McKenna on her statewide radio show in Wisconsin about how safety in the United States compares with crime rates in countries such as Canada and Australia. They also discussed the concentration of murders in a relatively small number of...