The decrease in family murder and increase in stranger-to-stranger killing undermines the claim of antigun groups that guns brought for protection will be used intentionally or accidentally to kill family members. The murder rate remains highest where guns in general and handguns in particular are least available. Generally, there is no relationship between the presence or absence of gun laws and murder or violent crime rates. Most of the Nation's most violent and murderous cities are also among those with the most restrictive gun laws, suggesting that violent crime and murder rates are related to factors other than gun control. Robbery and burglary are both substantially higher where guns are more restricted or less available. The absence of firearms availability especially encourages robbery and other dangerous crimes, since it lowers the countering options of the victim and witnesses. As with other violent crimes, the data show no relationship between gun laws or gun availability and aggravated assault or the murder of police officers. Mandatory sentencing of persons who use firearms in the commission of a crime is shown to be more effective in reducing violent crime than gun control laws. Tabular data are provided.