Firearms, Accidental Deaths, Suicides and Violent Crime: An Updated Review of the Literature with Special Reference to the Canadian Situation

Dandurand, Yvon (September 1998)
WD1998-4e

Research Summary

The purpose of this report was to conduct a review of the literature pertaining to issues related to civilian firearm ownership, with particular respect to the Canadian situation. The review included an examination of the extent and purpose of firearm ownership in Canada, firearm deaths and injuries, firearm suicides, violent crime, accidents, self-protection, and the manners in which firearm regulation may reduce firearm misuse. In addition, the author identifies gaps in knowledge, in order to suggest areas of future research. This report follows a similar review conducted for the Department by Thomas Gabor (1994) which covered the period up to 1993; the updated review focuses on studies published from 1990 to 1997.

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The original report is available in PDF (319 KB) for download.

This study was funded by the Canada Firearms Centre, Department of Justice Canada. The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Justice Canada.

The information may be reproduced, in whole or in part and by any means, without further permission of the Department of Justice Canada. No such reproduction shall indicate that the Department of Justice is in any way responsible for the accuracy or reliability of the reproduction, nor shall any such reproduction indicate that it was made with the endorsement of, or in affiliation with, the Department of Justice Canada.

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