[JimPage]

While I can't identify a causal link based upon correlation, I strongly suspect that there is a causal link because of the conistency of the data. Where gun laws about gun availability make them increasingly available, violent crime goes down. This has been consistent for over two decades.

While it is obvious that there will be more "gun" crimes with the availability of guns, the total of crime is the what's important. You can have less crime by use of guns if you are in favor of crimes by use of knife. But I prefer the concept of less crime by all means.

Further, one must consider that more guns are in the country every year while the crime has been decreasing.