Books for the News, Law

Supreme Court Overturns Chicago Hand Gun Ban, John Lott Applauds Decision

jacket image
On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment guarantee to bear arms trumps state and local gun control laws, rendering a Chicago hand gun ban unenforceable. This isn’t the first time the high court has ruled this way; just two years ago, it struck down a similar ban on hand guns in Washington, D. C.
The ruling—considered, as the New York Times puts it, an “enormous symbolic victory for supporters of gun rights”—will set of heated debate over gun control, the right to bear arms, and public safety—and one book will be essential to understanding the ramifications of the decision: John R. Lott’s More Guns, Less Crime.
The definitive study of the relationship between gun ownership and crime, More Guns, Less Crime relies on a wealth of data to demonstrate that, contrary to conventional wisdom, when citizens are free to carry guns, crime rates invariably fall. An updated third edition—which features an additional ten years of data, with specific attention paid to the Chicago and Washington DC gun bans and the effect of the end of the assault weapons ban and “stand your ground” laws—was published last month. The revisions bring the book fully up to date—and further bolster its provocative conclusion.
Lott will be making the media rounds this week, and you will likely catch glimpse of him on a radio or television near you. He’s penned a piece for FoxNews.com, and earlier this month, before the decision was handed down, argued on the National Review online why the Chicago ban doesn’t work. You can also read an interview with Lott on our website.