This path-breaking study examines licensing and registration status of offenders and firearms used in homicide.
In 1998/99, Australia had 64 firearm homicides, the lowest number since the National Homicide Monitoring Program commenced at the Australian Institute of Criminology a decade ago. On a population basis, this works out at a rate of 3 firearm homicides per million population. In contrast, the United States, whose crime rate (other than homicide) is generally no higher than Australia’s, had 9143 known firearm homicides in 1998—on a population basis, 41 per million, 14 times the Australian rate. This is powerful evidence on the significance of firearms in homicide.
This report finds that since 1997 licensed firearms owners were not responsible for over 90 per cent of firearm-related homicides. Most (over 90%) firearms used to commit homicides were not registered and their owners not licensed.