It has found that the number of people who say they have a gun in their home is at an all time low – hovering around 30 percent, from a high of 50 percent in the 1970s."
This is the underlying reason in the drop off in violent crime rate since the early 90's, & the rise in violent crime rate from early 60's thru early 90's. From early 60's to early 90's the firearm ownership rate remained approx the same, households about near 50% throughout, then from early 90's to now ~2012 the household firearm ownership rates fell to about 35%, coinciding with the drop in violent crime rates.
“Survey data shows self-reported gun ownership peaked at 53 percent in 1973 before seeing a fairly steady decline to 32 percent in 2010, the most recent year available. He cautioned singling any one year out, saying the numbers are better judged in the context of a whole: the 1970s averaged about 50 percent, the 1980s averaged 48 percent, the 1990s at 43 percent and 35 percent in the 2000s."
Author doesn't mention the 60's where gun rate was in upper 40%ile, note he says gun rate peaked in 1973, obviously from lower rate in 60's, thus from 60's thru early 90's gun rate about the same, high. Then from early 90's to now, gunrates declined about 30%.
"Smith pointed to several main factors responsible for the overall decrease in firearm ownership: a general decline in hunting, the rise of single-adult households and an overall drop off in crime."
Cannot agree with the last one (the blaze appears rightwing, touting glenn beck & the keystone pipeline), he has it back ace-wards - the overall drop off in crime was the result of lessening gun ownership rates, not the precipitate. People not wanting guns, realizing they're more harm than good.
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