The commission's findings and recommendations succeeded in changing the structure of the gun control debate, but the results have been indeterminate. Gun ownership has risen sharply, violent crime has increased, and firearms have contributed disproportionately to the increase. Assault and robbery are the main firearms crimes. The impact of gun control legislation is unclear, due to the methodological problems of the research that has been conducted. However, views regarding gun control are polarized, and a middle ground is not being sought. Based on the last 30 years, a three-part handgun strategy is likely to emerge. First, there will be federally mandated or administered restrictions on handgun transfers that amount to permissive licensing and registration. Second, there will be wide variation in State and municipal regulation, with increasing numbers of municipalities adopting restrictive approaches. Third, there will be increasing Federal law enforcement assistance to States and cities to enforce more restrictive regimes than the Federal minimum. The resolution of the debate will be found in the actions and beliefs of major opinion leadership groups: women, black Americans, the elderly, the young, and the mass media. Forty-four references are listed.