21 de September de 2016 In Contributions

Researchers’ manifesto in support of the Disarmament Statute

rsz_manifestoBrazilian society:

We are researchers from public and private universities and research institutions across Brazil and around the world. Our goal is to highlight the scientific evidence associated with the Disarmament Statute. Studies on the relationships between the Statute and lethal violence are available in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and doctoral theses, a sample of which is listed in the Annex. Among other things, these studies refute the hypothesis that “more guns in circulation cause a reduction in lethal gun violence.”

The preparation of a manifesto to preserve the Disarmament Statute comes at an important moment. A Special Committee of the Brazilian House of Representatives is deliberating over Bill 3722/12 which seeks to revoke the Disarmament Statute. The Bill would reduce the minimum age for buying firearms from 25 to 21. Among other things, it would authorize individuals under police investigation or facing criminal charges to own and carry firearms, including those being prosecuted for murder.

We have a moral duty to inform the public about the findings of rigourous scientific studies that demonstrate the outcomes of the Disarmament Statute. As professional scholars, we are committed to fostering serious and objective debate. Unfortunately, some politicians in the House render life and death decisions without consulting scientific evidence. The relaxation of existing firearms regulation legislation will almost certainly lead to more deaths and greater insecurity in Brazil.

There is popular support for Bill 3722/12 owing to the considerable sense of insecurity among many Brazilians. Some believe that access to firearms could improve their personal and family safety. It is important to recall that violence is a complex phenomenon. A wide range of variables shapes its prevalence, including inter alia income and social inequality, unemployment, education, institutional impunity, and funding for public security.

Research undertaken by international and Brazilian academics demonstrates that the number of weapons in circulation is strongly associated with higher rates of lethal gun violence. When controlling for the abovementioned variables, scientific studies detect robust statistical relationships between the increased access and circulation of firearms and increases in firearm-related homicide. These findings are confirmed in Brazil and other countries.

It is important that Brazilian society be aware of the available evidence linking increased circulation of firearms with more gun violence. Misguided and ineffective policy emerges in Brazil and other countries when laws are formed without resort to scientific knowledge. Representatives of Congress would do well to consider the available evidence, including the sample of scientific studies cited in the Annex, before they decide to expand ownership and possession of firearms in Brazil.

Brasília, Brazil – September 21, 2016

Signatories:

  1. Alba Zaluar (PhD in Anthropology, professor at the Institute for Social and Political Studies of the State University of Rio de Janeiro)
  2. Ana Lúcia Kassouf  (PhD in Economics, professor at the University of São Paulo)
  3. André Zanetic (PhD in Political Science, researcher at Center for Studies on Violence of the University of São Paulo)
  4. Antonio Rangel Bandeira (MA in Political Science, consultant to the “Viva  Rio”)
  5. Arturo Alvarado (PhD in Social Sciences, professor at the El Colegio de México)
  6. Arthur Trindade  Maranhão  Costa (PhD in Sociology, professor at the University of Brasília)
  7. Bruno Langeani (Bachelor in Law, coordinator of Justice and Public Safety Systems of the “Sou da Paz” Institute)
  8. Cláudio Beato (PhD in Social Sciences, director of Center for Studies on Crime of the Federal University of Minas Gerais )
  9. Cristiano Aguiar de Oliveira (PhD in Economics, professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande)
  10. César Barreira (PhD in Sociology, professor at the Federal University of Ceará, and director of the Violence Studies Laboratory )
  11. Dalva Maria Borges de L. D. de Souza (PhD in Sociology, professor at the Federal University of Goiás, and researcher at Center of Criminality and Violence Studies )
  12. Daniel Ricardo de Castro Cerqueira (PhD in Economics, researcher at Institute for Applied Economic Research)
  13. Danilo Santa Cruz Coelho (PhD in Economics, researcher at Institute for Applied Economic Research)
  14. David Hemenway (PhD in Economics, professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, and director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center – United States )
  15. Doriam Borges (PhD in Sociology, professor at the State University of Rio de Janeiro)
  16. Edinilsa Ramos de Souza (PhD in Public Health, researcher of Latin American Center of Studies on Violence and Health, National School of Public Health – Oswaldo Cruz Foundation)
  17. Edward Laurance ( PhD in International Relations, professor and Gordon Paul Smith Chair in Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey – United States)
  18. Eduardo Pazinato (PhD student in Public Policy, coordinator at the Center for Citizen Security at the Law Faculty of Santa Maria, and director of strategic projects at the Fidedigna Institute)
  19. Felippe Angeli (MA in Political Science, institutional relations advisor to the “Sou da Paz” Institute)
  20. Felippe De Rosa (MA in International Relations, Institute of International Relations of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
  21. Giácomo Balbinotto  Neto (PhD in Economics, professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul )
  22. Glaucio Ary Dillon Soares (PhD in Sociology, professor at the Institute for Social and Political Studies of the State University of Rio de Janeiro)
  23. Gustavo Oliveira Vieira (PhD in Law, professor at the Federal University for Latin American Integration)
  24. Ignacio Cano (PhD in Sociology, professor at the State University of Rio de Janeiro, and director of the Violence Analysis Laboratory )
  25. Ivan Marques (MA in International Relations, Master in Human Rights, executive director of the“Sou da Paz” Institute)
  26. Jacqueline Sinhoretto (PhD in Sociology, professor at the Federal University of S˜ao Carlos)
  27. João Manoel  Pinho  de  Mello (PhD in Economics, Professor at Insper Institute of Education and Research)
  28. Jony Arrais Pinto Junior (PhD in Statistics, professor at the Federal University Fluminense)
  1. José Luiz  Ratton (PhD in Sociology, professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco)
  2. Joviana Quintes Avanci (PhD in Sciences, researcher of the National School of Public Health – Oswaldo Cruz Foundation
  3. Julita Lemgruber (MA in Sociology, coordinator of the Center for Security and Citizenship Studies )
  4. Julio Jacobo Waiselftsz (MA in Educational Planning, coordinator of the Violence Study Programme at the Latin American College of Social Sciences )
  5. Kai Michael Kenkel (PhD in International Relations, professor Institute of International Relations of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro)
  6. Khatchik DerGhougassian (PhD in International Studies, professor at the University of San Andr´es – Argentina)
  7. Liana de Paula (PhD in Sociology, professor at the Federal University of S˜ao Paulo)
  8. Luciana Maria de  Aragão  Ballestrin (PhD in Political Science, professor at the Federal University of Pelotas )
  9. Ludmila Mendonça  Lopes  Ribeiro (PhD in Sociology, professor at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais )
  10. Luiz Eduardo B. de M. Soares (PhD in Sociology, professor at the State University of Rio de Janeiro)
  11. Luiz Flávio  Sapori (PhD in Sociology, professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais )
  12. Luiz Guilherme Scorzafave (PhD in Economics, professor at the University of S˜ao Paulo)
  13. Luiza Jane Eyre de Souza Vieira (PhD in nursing, professor at the University of Fortaleza)
  14. Marcelo Fernandes (PhD in Management, professor at the São Paulo School of Economics of the Getu´lio Vargas Foundation, and Queen Mary University of London)
  15. Marcelo Justus (PhD in Economics, professor in the Institute of Economics at the University of Campinas, São Paulo)
  16. Maria Cecılia de  Souza Minayo (PhD in Public Health, researcher of Fundação Oswaldo Cruz )
  17. Maria Fernanda Tourinho  Peres (PhD in Public Health, professor at the University of São Paulo)
  18. Maria Luiza Carvalho de Lima (PhD in Public Health, researcher of the Laboratory of Studies on Violence and Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation/Recife)
  19. Pery Francisco  Shikida (PhD in Economics, professor at the Western Paraná State University )
  20. Philip Alpers (Adjunct Associate Professor, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney).
  21. Renato Sérgio de  Lima (PhD in Sociology, professor at the Business Administration School of São Paulo of the Getulio Vargas Foundation at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation, and vice president of the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety )
  22. Robert Muggah (PhD in International Development, Economics and Political Science; research director at the Igarapé Institute, and former research director of the Small Arms Survey in Geneva)
  23. Robson Sávio  Reis  Souza (PhD in Social Sciences, coordinator coordinator at the Center for socio-political studies of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais )
  24. Rodrigo Ghiringhelli de Azevedo (PhD in Sociology, professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul )
  25. Rodrigo Reis Soares (PhD in Economics, professor at the São Paulo School of Economics of the Getúlio Vargas Foundation)
  26. Sérgio Adorno (PhD in Sociology, professor and coordinator at the Center for Studies on Violence of the University of São Paulo)
  27. Sergio Salomão Shecaira (PhD in Criminal Law, professor at the Law School of the University of São Paulo)
  28. Tulio Kahn (PhD in Political Science, researcher and consultant for public safety )
  29. Vilma Pinheiro Gawryszewski (PhD in Public Health, Advisor for Health Information and Analysis of Pan American Health Organization)

 

References

Ayres, I.; Donohue, J. Shooting down the more guns, less crime hypothesis Stanford Law Review, v. 51, n. 4, pp. 1193-1312, 2003.

Bandeira, A. R; Bourgois, J. Armas de fogo: proteção ou risco? Rio de Janeiro: Viva Rio, 250 p., 2005.

Brauer, J.; Muggah, R. Completing the circle: Building a theory of small arms demand. Journal Contemporary Security Policy, v. 27, n.1, 138-154, 2006.

Cerqueira, D. R. C. Causas e consequências do crime no Brasil; Tese de Doutorado em Economia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, 2010.

Cerqueira, D. R. C.; Coelho, D. S. C. Mapa das armas de fogo nas microrregiões brasileiras, in Boueri, R.; Costa, M. A. (Ed.) Brasil em Desenvolvimento 2013: Estado, Planejamento e Políticas Públicas. Brasília: IPEA, v. 3, pp. 899-913, 2013.

Cerqueira, D. R. C.; Coelho, D. S. C.; Fernandes, M.; Pinto Junior, J. Guns and suicides. Annals of the Meetings of the Brazilian Econometric Society, 2014.

Cerqueira, D. R. C.; De Mello, J. M. P. Evaluating a national anti-firearm law and estimating the casual effect of guns on crime. Texto para Discussão 607, Departamento de Economia: Pontifícia Universidade Católica, 2013.

Cerqueira, D. R. C.; De Mello, J. M. P. Firearms and crime in Brazil, in Batchelor, P. & Kenkel, K. M. (Ed) Controlling small arms – consolidation, innovation and relevance in research and policy. New York: Routledge, pp. 201-217, 2014. Cerqueira, D. R. C.; De Mello, J. M. P. Menos armas, menos crimes. Texto para Discussão 1721, Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada, 2014.

Cook, P.; Ludwig, J. The effects of gun prevalence on burglary: deterrence vs inducement, in Cook, P. J. & Ludwig, J. (Ed): Evaluating gun policy. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, pp. 74-118, 2003.

Cook, P.; Ludwig, J. The social costs of gun ownership. Journal of Public Economics, v. 90, n. 1-2, pp. 379-391, 2006.

Cook, P.; Molliconi, S.; Cole, T. Regulating gun markets. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, v. 86, n. 1, pp. 59, 1995.

Cummings, P. et al. The association between the purchase of a handgun and homicide or suicide. American Journal of Public Health, v. 87, n. 6, pp. 974-978, 1997.

Dahlberg, L.; Ikeda, R.; Kresnow, M. Guns in the home and risk of a violent death in the home: Findings from a national study. American Journal of Epidemiology, v. 160, n. 10, pp. 929-936, 2004.

De Rosa, F. The National Rie Association and the Arms Trade Treaty as a case of framing effects on norm diffusion. Dissertação de Mestrado em Relações Internacionais, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, 2015.

Dos Santos, P.; Gonçalves, E.; Meddings, D.; Malo, M.; Cardia, N.; Batchelor, P.; R. Muggah. Violência por armas de fogo no Brasil. Núcleo de Estudos da Violência, Universidade de São Paulo, 2004.

Duggan, M. More guns, more crime. Journal of Political Economy, v. 109, n. 5, pp. 1086-1114, 2001.

Grinshteyn, E.; Hemenway, D. Violent death rates: The United States compared to other high-income OECD countries, 2010. The American Journal of Medicine, 2015.

Hartung, G. C. Ensaios em demografia e criminalidade. Tese de Doutorado em Economia, Escola de Pós-Graduação em Economia da Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Rio de Janeiro, 2009.

Hemenway, D. Guns, suicide, and homicide: Individual-level versus population-level studies. Annals of Internal Medicine, v. 160, n. 2, p. 134-135, 2014.

Hemenway, D.; Miller, M. Firearm availability and homicide rates across 26 high-income countries. Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care, v. 49, n. 6, pp. 985-988, 2000.

Hemenway, D.; Solnick, S. Children and unintentional firearm death. Journal of Injury and Epidemiology, v. 2, n. 1, 2015.

Hemenway, D.; Solnick, S. The epidemiology of self-defense gun use: Evidence from the National Crime Victimization Surveys 2007-2011. Journal of Preventive Medicine, v. 79, pp. 22-27, 2015.

Kahn, T. Armas de fogo: argumentos para debate. Boletim Conjuntura Criminal, 2002.

Kapusta, N. et al. Firearm legislation reform in the European Union: Impact on firearm availability, firearm suicide and homicide rates in Austria. British Journal of Psychiatry, v. 191, n. 3, pp. 253-257, 2007.

Kellermann, A. et al. Gun ownership as a risk factor for homicide in the home New England Journal of Medicine, v. 329, n. 15, pp. 1084-1091, 1993.

Krause, K.; Muggah, R.; Gilgen, E. (Eds). The global burden of armed violence: Lethal encounters. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 192 p. 2011.

Krause, K.; Muggah, R.; Wenman, A. (Eds).The global burden of armed violence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 162 p. 2008.

Laurance. E. J.; Meek, S. The new field of micro-disarmament: Addressing the proliferation and buildup of small arms and light weapons. Germany: Bonn International Center for Conversion, 92 p., 1996.

Lima, R. S.; Pietrocolla, L. G.; Sinhoretto, J. Também morre quem atira: risco de uma pessoa armada ser vítima fatal de um roubo. Revista do IBCCRIM, v. 8, n. 29, p. 50-65, 2000.

Ludwig, J. Concealed-gun-carrying laws and violent crime: Evidence from state panel data. International Review of Law and Economics, v. 18, n. 3, pp. 239-254, 1998.

McDowall, D. Firearm availability and homicide rates in Detroit, 1951-1986 Social Forces, v. 69, n. 4, pp. 1085-1101, 1991.

McDowall, D.; Loftin, C.; Wiersema, B. Easing concealed firearms laws: Effects on homicide in three states. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, v. 86, n. 1, pp. 193, 1995.

Miller, M.; Azrael, D.; Hemenway, D. Firearm availability and unintentional firearm deaths, suicide, and homicide among 5-14 year olds. Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care, v. 52, n. 2, pp. 267-275, 2002.

Muggah, R.; dos Ramos, M. Making Brazilian cities safer. Stability Journal, v. 1, n. 3, pp. 1-4, 2014.

Muggah, R.; Sang, F. The enemy within: Rethinking arms availability in Sub-Saharan Africa. Conflict, Security and Development, v. 13, n. 5, pp. 417-447, 2013.

Oliveira, C.; Neto, G. The deterrence effects of gun laws in games with asymmetric skills and information. Review of Law and Economics, v. 11, n. 3, pp. 435-452, 2015.

Peres, M. F. T. Violência por armas de fogo no Brasil – Relatório Nacional. Núcleo de Estudos da Viol^encia, Universidade de São Paulo, 2004.

Richardson, E.; Hemenway, D. Homicide, suicide, and unintentional firearm fatality: Comparing the United States with other high-income countries Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care, v. 70, n. 1, pp. 238-243, 2011.

Rosengart, M. et al. An evaluation of state firearm regulations and homicide and suicide death rates. Injury Prevention, v. 11, n. 2, pp. 77-83, 2005.

Justus, M.; Kassouf, A. L. A cointegration analysis of crime, economic activity, and police performance in São Paulo city. Journal of Applied Statistics, v. 40, n. 10, pp. 2087-2109, 2013.

Justus, M.; Kassouf, A. L. Avaliação de impacto do Estatuto do Desarmamento na criminalidade: Uma abordagem de séries temporais aplicada à cidade de São Paulo. Economic Analysis of Law Review, v. 3, n. 2, pp. 307-322, 2012.

McDougal, T. L.; Shirk D. A.; Muggah, R.; Patterson, J. H. The way of the gun: Estimating firearms tracking across the US-Mexico border. Journal of Economic Geography, pp. 1{31, 2014.

Pinto, A. D.; Sharma, M. and Muggah, R. An agent-vector-host-environment model for controlling small arms and light weapons. Medicine, Conflict and Survival, v. 27, n. 2., pp. 111-127, 2011.

Siegel, M.; Ross, C.; King, C. The relationship between gun ownership and firearm homicide rates in the United States, 1981-2010. American Journal of Public Health, v. 103, n. 11, pp. 2098-2105, 2013.

Sloan, J.; Kellerman, A.; Reay, D. Handgun regulations, crime, assaults, and homicide: A tale of two cities. New England Journal of Medicine, v. 320, n. 18, pp. 1214-1217, 1989.

Soares, G. A. D. Os determinantes dos homicídios no Distrito Federal. Temas Codeplan, v. 2, pp. 99-121, 1998.

Soares, G. A. D. Subdesenvolvimento econômico e social e homicídios no Distrito Federal, 1995 a 1998. Coleção Segurança com Cidadania, v. 3, pp. 69-90, 2009.

Soares, G. A. D. Não matarás. Rio de Janeiro: Editora da Fundação Getúlio Vargas, 2008. 200 p.

Soares, G. A. D.; Borges, D. Rio de Janeiro, fevereiro e março: os homicídios como fenômeno sazonal. Ciência Hoje, v. 35, n. 194, pp. 26-31, 2003.

Soares, G. A. D.; Cerqueira, D. R. C. Estatuto do desarmamento: Um tiro que não saiu pela culatra. Insight Inteligência, n. 68, pp. 78-86, 2015.

Souza, M. F. M.; Macinko, J.; Alencar, A. P.; Malta, D. C.; Morais Neto, O. L. Reductions in firearm-related mortality and hospitalizations in Brazil after gun control. Health Affairs, v. 26, n. 2, pp. 575-584, 2007.

Stolzenberg, L.; D’Alessio, S. Gun availability and violent crime: New evidence from the national incident-based reporting system. Social Forces, v. 78, n. 4, pp. 1461-1482, 2000.

Swedler, D. I.; Simmons, M. M.; Dominici, f.; Hemenway, D. Firearm prevalence and homicides of law enforcement officers in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, v. 105, n. 10, pp. 2042-2048, 2015.

Wiebe, D. Homicide and suicide risks associated with firearms in the home: A national case-control study. Annals of Emergency Medicine, v. 41, n. 6, pp. 771-782, 2003. Zimring, F.; Newton, G. Firearms, violence and public policy. Scientific American, v. 265, n. 5, pp. 48-54, 1991.

View PDF
Tags:

The Igarapé Institute uses cookies and other similar technologies to improve your experience, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use, and by continuing to browse, you agree to these conditions.

I agree
Skip to content