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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Cherry-Picking Assault Weapons Ban Studies


On Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Managing Editor Lori Robertson talks about how both sides of the gun-control debate are selectively quoting from studies on the effectiveness of the 1994 assault weapons ban. The head of the NRA, Wayne LaPierre, claimed the studies found the ban “had no impact on lowering crime,” while Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said the ban did reduce crime. Both are wrong. The studies could not conclude that the ban was responsible for a national drop in gun violence, but a 2004 report also said it was “premature to make definitive assessments.”

For more on this issue, see our Feb. 1 story, “Did the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban Work?”