From vtguns@aol.com
The Vermont Legislature returns this week and gun control advocates will claim Vermont is rife with crime.
In late 2019 the FBI released crime statistics for the year 2018.
The data for violent crime rates per 100,000 residents shows that:
The lowest (50th) violent crime rate state in the nation was Maine 112.1 per 100,000 residents
Next lowest at (49th) violent crime rate was Vermont 172,0 per 100,000 residents.
Next lowest at (48th) violent crime rate was New Hampshire 173.2 per 100,000 residents.
These three states have some of the least restrictive gun laws in the country, including
not requiring a permit to carry concealed.
Yet, these three northern tier New England states are the three lowest violent rate states
in the nation and it is the case year after year.
Now look at and compare to the violent crime rates of the other three New England states.
CT 207.4 per 100,000 residents
RI 219.2 per 100,000 residents
MA 338.1 per 100,000 residents
Our abutting neighbor state of NY had 350.5 per 100,000 residents.
All are violent crime rates, per 100,000 residents. Comparison by this same constant FBI criteria.