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THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF GUN OWNERSHIP: SELF‐PROTECTION IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT *
Author(s) -
CAO LIQUN,
CULLEN FRANCIS T.,
LINK BRUCE G.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
criminology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.467
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1745-9125
pISSN - 0011-1384
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-9125.1997.tb01233.x
Subject(s) - possession (linguistics) , socialization , ideology , criminology , gun violence , violent crime , psychology , social psychology , political science , human factors and ergonomics , poison control , demographic economics , politics , environmental health , economics , medicine , law , philosophy , linguistics
Based on a survey of 539 residents of Cincinnati, this study assesses various explanations of gun ownership. The analysis reveals that gender and childhood socialization into a gun culture are significantly related to protective and general (or “sport”) firearm possession. In contrast, only protective gun ownership appears to be linked to crime‐related factors. Conservative crime ideology and concern about the relative level of crime in one's neighborhood increase armament for defensive purposes, while informal collective security—the belief that neighbors will provide assistance against criminal victimization—reduces protective gun ownership.