Firearm prevalence and social capital

PURPOSE: Previous studies have shown a correlation between measures of soci al capital and morbidity, mortality, and violent crime. This article examin es the association across U.S. states between social capital (as measured b y mutual trust and civic engagement) and firearm availability. METHODS: The analysis uses OLS to determine degrees of association across U .S. states. Measures of mutual trust come from responses to questions on th e U.S. General Social Survey that "you can't be too careful in dealing with people," and most people "would try to take advantage of you." Measures of formal civic engagement come from responses to Lifestyle Survey questions concerning times volunteered, club meetings attended, community projects wo rked on, and church services attended. Informal civic engagement measures c ome from responses to number of times bowled, played cards, entertained at home, and gave or attended dinner parties, and number of greeting cards sen t. The Lifestyle Survey also asked whether respondent believed whether "mos t people are honest." The percentage of suicides from firearms, and the ave rage percentage of suicides and homicides from firearms, are used as proxie s for state firearm ownership rates. Control variables are the degree of ur banization, the rates of poverty, and the percentage of nonwhites in the st ate. RESULTS: Across the U.S. states, higher levels of firearm ownership are ass ociated with significantly lower levels of mutual trust and civic engagemen t. CONCLUSION: While the analysis cannot show causation, states with heavily a rmed civilians are also states with low levels of social capital. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.