PolitiFact.com
Statements about Crime
Edward Flynn

Edward Flynn

Half-True

Best number available, but laden with caveats

Research found that "over the course of the existence of the Brady Bill ban, the use of assault weapons in crimes decreased by two thirds."  

Paul Howard

Paul Howard

Mostly True

Hard to tie crime drop to one reason

"In Atlanta, since 1994 when the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ (mandatory minimum sentences) took effect, the violent crime rate has dropped 62 percent."

Carolyn Medeiros

Carolyn Medeiros

Mostly False

Claim needs rehabilitation

"There's a tax credit of $2,400 to bond [former inmates] that an employer would get for hiring a convicted felon. There's a federal bonding program -- you can get $5,000 to $25,000 in federal money to hire a convicted felon. And there's federal grants for felons to set up their own small businesses."

Kasim Reed

Kasim Reed

True

It's been a long time

Felony crimes in the city of Atlanta are the lowest they have been since 1969.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Mostly False

Scare tactic

If the sequester hits, federal prosecutors will have to "let criminals go."

Wayne LaPierre

Wayne LaPierre

False

Scary stat still wrong

"Phoenix is already one of the kidnapping capitals of the world."

Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Mostly True

True of background checks -- but other proposals?

Says "overwhelming majorities of Americans" support gun legislation "like background checks."

Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Half-True

Many can't be prosecuted

In 2009, the FBI "referred more than 71,000" cases of people failing background checks when trying to buy a gun to another federal agency, "but U.S. attorneys ultimately prosecuted only 77 of them."

Wayne LaPierre

Wayne LaPierre

Half-True

Bottomed out in 2009, up slightly since

"As a result of National Rifle Association and other private-sector (safety-education) programs, fatal firearms accidents are at the lowest level in 100 years."

Stephen King

Stephen King

Mostly True

It's no horror story

Says since Australia passed tough gun laws, "homicides by firearm have declined almost 60 percent."

David A. Clarke Jr.

David A. Clarke Jr.

Mostly False

Sheriff’s Office responds to few crime calls

"I had to lay off 48 people last year," which has exacerbated the lack of law enforcement officers in the county that respond quickly to crime calls.

Greg Abbott

Greg Abbott

True

Skips over handgun murders

Says according to the FBI, more people are killed each year with hammers and clubs than rifles.

Dianne Feinstein

Dianne Feinstein

Mostly True

It's hard to define 'assault weapon'

"One out of every five law enforcement officers that's killed is killed with an assault weapon."

Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio

Half-True

Violence rose and fell, rose and fell

"Washington, D.C., had some of the strictest gun laws in the country. And when they passed them, violence skyrocketed."

Jackie Speier

Jackie Speier

Mostly True

Poll includes 'current or lapsed' NRA members

"Even members of the NRA, when they were polled recently, were under the impression that everyone has a criminal background check."

John Kitzhaber

John Kitzhaber

True

On average, yes

"It costs $10,000 a year to keep a child in school; it costs $30,000 a year to keep someone in prison."

Providence City Council

Providence City Council

False

Factual mis-fire

"Semi-automatic weapons, whether pistol or rifle, were designed for use by the military on the battlefield."

Gwen Moore

Gwen Moore

Mostly True

Figure nearly correct; factors other than the law also at work

Since the federal Violence Against Women Act was adopted in 1994, "cases of domestic violence have fallen by 67 percent."

Pardeep Kaleka

Pardeep Kaleka

Mostly True

Newer figure slightly lower

"Every day, 34 Americans are murdered with guns."

Facebook posts

Facebook posts

Pants on Fire!

Gun claim is a Swiss miss

"Switzerland (where the government) issues every household a gun . . . has the lowest gun related crime rate of any civilized country in the world!!!"

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