John R. Lott Jr.

Laws that restrict gun ownership do not reduce gun violence, argues John R. Lott Jr. in the following viewpoint, but actually prevent law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves against crime and criminals. States that allow their residents to carry concealed weapons experienced a significant drop in violent crime rates, he maintains, because criminals are less likely to attack anyone if they think their potential victim may be armed. Therefore, Lott asserts, the best way to reduce gun violence is to allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed weapons. Lott is the John M. Olin law and economics professor at the University of Chicago School of Law and the author of More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Who obeys gun-control laws, according to Lott?
2. How many multiple-victim public...