Freakonomics mentions in passing that in Switzerland, every adult male is issued an assault rifle for the purposes of militia service, and they are permitted to keep them at home. They then mention that Switzerland has a low gun crime rate, but don't go into the details because they're more focusing on the US.
This raises a serious question though: every adult male has an assault rifle in their home. So what about women? Are single women more likely to be victims of crime than in other countries? Do robbers scan the death ads looking for new widows to rob after the militia comes and takes away their late husband's assault rifle? Are women more likely to seek out male roommates? Do single mothers encourage their adult sons to continue living at home? Are women more likely to go straight from their husband's house to their father's house? How does this affect domestic violence? How does this affect gang violence? Do men with disabilities that prevent them from serving in the militia also get an assault rifle? If not, are they more likely to be victims of crime? Can women serve in the militia if they choose? Can they get a free assault rifle anyway, just to even things up?
Perhaps the omnipresence of firearms does help reduce gun crime overall - Freakonomics doesn't make it clear whether this was cause and effect or just correlation, and I'm in no position to speculate - but how does it affect crime against those who don't or are unlikely to have a firearm in the home?
3 comments:
I happen to work with a Swiss gent. His information, relative to your questions:
- Every Swiss male is in the militia from age 18 to 40, and while in the militia they are issued a rifle and ammunition and do a small amount of service (2-3 weeks) every year.
- My colleague was injured playing soccer and discharged from the militia. His rifle was taken away when he was discharged.
- The ammunition is sealed package. Every militia member reports once per year (other than at the time of their annual service) to show the rifle and ammunition are accounted for and are in good working order.
- Women are permitted to serve, but are not compelled to serve. If they do choose to serve, they too are issued a rifle.
My colleague laughed about the idea of a correlation between the militia rifles and gun crime. He said he remembered cases where some lunatics used their militia rifles in some criminal act, but couldn't remember anyone using their militia rifle in self-defence. And since the rifle itself, as well as the ammunition, are checked twice a year, it's unlikely they'd be involved in gang violence.
He and I both agreed that a causal link between the militia rifles and gun crime seemed extremely tenuous.
Hope this helps!
That's very interesting, thanks!
Do you happen to know if they're allowed to use their rifles in self-defence, if they should find themselves in those circumstances? Maybe it doesn't matter that much, because it would be very close to a life-or-death situation so you'd probably consider the consequences of illegally defending yourself with your rifle negligble, but I am interested in whether it's technically allowed or not.
My understanding is that they aren't allowed to use the rifles, at all, except during their annual stint in the army, their annual firing and inspection, or after being mobilised. As you point out, one would probably make the calculation that self-defence outweights some punishment by the military.
But the other side of it is the ammunition is not exactly ready to go. It seems to me a situation where one had time to find the ammo and rifle, unwrap the ammo, and load the rifle is not one where other self-defence options are unavailable.
My colleauge said he kept his rifle in a closet, and completely forgot about it between his duty periods.
Glad to help -- it was interesting for me to hear about his experiences, too.
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