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First Monday and Every Monday |
Do Guns Make Us Safe? - Guns in the Workplace |
| Numerous studies have shown that guns in the home increase the likelihood that a family member will become a victim of a gun homicide, gun suicide, or unintentional shooting. Now, new research shows that guns in workplaces are associated with an increase in gun homicides.
Most adults spend a significant amount of time at work. Workplace violence is a leading cause of death for U.S. workers. Are workplaces that allow workers to carry firearms and other weapons more safe than workplaces where firearms are prohibited? Not according to a recent University of North Carolina study. The North Carolina study 1 , published in the May issue of the American Journal of Public Health, analyzed homicides at North Carolina workplaces between 1994 and 1998. The study found that workplaces that allow workers to carry firearms and other weapons at work were 5-7 times more likely to be the site of an on-the-job homicide compared to workplaces that prohibit workers from carrying weapons. Said Dana Loomis, lead researcher for the study, “Our data suggest that, much as residents of households with guns are more likely to become victims of homicide, workers in places where the employer’s policy allows guns have a greater chance of being killed at work.” Iowa State Capitol is a gun-free zone It should be noted that the State of Iowa recognizes the potential danger from guns in the workplace. As a result, Iowa lawmakers work in a gun-free environment. A sign posted at the entrance to the State Capitol Building reads: NO WEAPONS OR EXPLOSIVES ALLOWED. If guns made us safe, why are guns prohibited at the Statehouse? Because Iowa lawmakers know that in most places, including the Statehouse, more guns mean more danger. |
