Posted by Phil Lee (216.250.238.85) on May 30, 2002 at 22:39:
Looking at the FBI Uniform Crime Report for 1999, CIUS 99 Section II -- Crime Index Tabulations (Tables 1-7), Table 6, page 87 the murder rate reported for Cumberland, MD-WV Metro Statistical Area (Includes Allegany County, MD and Mineral County, WV.) is 1 per 100,000. Baltimore is not reported in that FBI publication, but Baltimore's rate is approximately 50 per 100,000 (300 murders in 1999 and 600,000 population).
I wonder if the rate of gun ownership in Baltimore is 50 times higher than the rural area of Cumberland? Perhaps, Baltimore gun owners use trigger locks 1/50th as often as the people of Cumberland? Maybe the people of Cumberland have already taken the Governor's up-coming handgun safety course whereas the people of Baltimore have not? Or maybe the people in the rural area own evil handguns and assault rifles at a lower rate than the people of Baltimore?
Whatever the reason, I hope our legislature can figure it out and help Baltimore become more like Cumberland.