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Evangelicals
1 :
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Planning Meet
InChicapo
HONOREES pictured (l-r) are: Eric TUTman, Dr. Shirley Tillman, Robert John Lewis, Ms. Beth Jackson,
Aaron Gilchrist, Mrs. Warnella Wiley, Mrs. Evans, Mrs. Clara Lawson, Liooell Parker, Mrs. Martha
Johnson, Albert Horry and Mrs. Catherine Stanback.
THE OUTSTANDING LAYMAN HONOREE
was W.A. Marsh. He received an engraved plaque
for his services on the Judicial Council of the
' African MethodisJ Episcopal Church and as one of
the official delegates to the several conferences held
by the denomination. Shown in the photo (l-r) are:
Prof. J.H. Banks, Laymen's Day speaker; Mrs.
' Minerva Evans and honoree, Atty. W.A. Marsh,
Jr., who received the plaque.
Two-Year Weapons and Violent Crime Study Still
Leaves Unanswered Questions
WASHINGTON, DC
Policymakers looking
for answers to fun
damental questions
about relationships bet
ween weapons, crime
and violence are faced
with "a near-total
absence" .. of , reliable
research data on such
issues, a federally funded
study has concluded.
"In general," the'
researchers' report said, .
"the published literature
is more noteworthy for
what it does not show
than what it does. There
is, it appears, scarcely a '
single Finding in the i
literature that could be ,
said to have been in- j
disputably established.
"In part, this reflects
the highly politicized
nature of research in this
area, but, more impor
tantly, perhaps, it results
from a ; near-total
absence of sound and na
tionally, ;! generalizable
vdata from which reliable
information about
weapons, crime and
violence might be
established."
Policy decisions are
being made in what;
amounts to an "infor
mation vacuum," the
study said.
The study, "Weapons
and Violent Crime," was.
conducted over more
than two years by Pro-!
fessors James D. Wright
and Peter E. Rossi of the.
Social and Demographic,
Institute of the Universi-,
ty of Massachusetts.
Their work was funded
by a $287,203 grant from;
the National Institute of
Justice of the U.S.
Department of Justice.
One question that re
mains unanswered, the
authors said, is whether
the rise in violent crime
has somehow been fuel
ed by the rise in gun
ownership.
"We conclude that
there is little evidence to
show that gun ownership
among the population as
a whole is, per se, an im
portant cause of criminal
violence," they said.
They cautioned,
however, that truly
decisive evidence "does
not exist."
The study also said
that evaluations of the
200,000 gun laws already
on the books generally
show their effect to be
"modest or
non-existent" and cited
the wide variability of
statues across jurisdic
tions as a possible reason
for their lack of success. ,
The research project;
estimated that there are
now approximately 120
million guns in private
ownership in the U.S.
Between 25 and 30 per
cent are handguns; the
rest are "long guns"
rifles and shotguns.
The study added,
however, that this
estimate was subject to a
plus or minus error of up
to 20 million and em
phasized the need for
reliable national data on
the private ownership of
guns.
state of knowledge," the
researchers said.
In 1968, there were 80
million firearms . in
private and police
ownership, the study
estimated. By 1978, the
number had risen to ap
proximately 120 million.
In that same period, the
number of American
households increased
from 60 million to 73
million a 25 per cent ;
rise. This growth could
account for 20 million,
or one-half of the in
crease of 40 million guns
owned in 1978, said
Wright, the principal
author.
Much of the re
mainder, Wright said,
can be attributed to in
creased purchases by
sport shooters, hunters
and police. i
The study said, for ex-:
ample, that the annual:
number of new- hunters .
increased by 5.4, million
owning households, sc
meone had used a gun in
self-defense t .some
time, with half this usage
involying "defense
against animals." . The
study; said about seven
per cent of the nation's
gun-owning ' adults say
they carry handguns with
them for protection out
side the borne. The prq
r portion of American
gun-owning adults who
have actually fired a gun
in self-defense appears to
lie somewhere, between
two and six per centr the
study noted
Other study findings ;
included: , ;
The proportion of'
American families claim-
' ing to own guns has re
mained constant at
about 50 per cent, accor
ding to various surveys
taken since 1959.
However, the fractional
ownership of handguns
among families claiming
The prQie'c(1vyiewedfrom 1968 thrfligh.l7-.,i io.owa any weapon has
literature and research to
determine what
definitive evidence exists
on issues relating to
weapons, violence, and
crime. It examined the
amount and quality of
criminal justice data
available for future
research on weapons
through a national
survey of 609 law en
forcement agencies (70
per cent responded) and
an analysis of court
records on a sample of
5,000 felony cases pro
cessed by the Los
Angeles Superior Court.
Based on its analyses,
the project recommend
ed a research agenda to
close the more gaping
holes in present
knowledge about;
weapons and crime. Im
provements in criminal
justice system data recor
ding procedures also
were proposed.
The project found
flaws in much of the ex
isting research that it
said limit the reliability
of previously reported
findings. Conclusions
presented in the project
reports are those "most
justified bv the present
It also cited a large in
crease in sport shooting
in that period, and
estimated that 10 million
long guns and five
million handguns were
purchased for that pur
pose. "This contradicts the
common claim that han
dguns have 'no
legitimate sport or
recreational use,"
Wright said.
"In point of fact, no
credible study of sport
and recreational han
dgun use has ever been
conducted, and the few
fragments of evidence
that do exist strongly
suggest that handguns
are as likely to be owned
for . sport and recreation
as for any other reason."
The study said there
was no persuasive
evidence that people are
buying guns out of fear
of violent crime or that
handguns are only being
purchased for purposes
of self-defense.
Survey evidence on the
use of firearms for 1978
showed that in some 15
per cent of all gun-
increased. The project
estimated an average
ownership of 3.17 guns
per gun-owning family in
1978,
About three-fourths
of privately-owned guns
are used for sport and
recreation. Most of the
remainder are for self
defense. The project drew this
profile of the typical gun
owner: "male, rural,
southern, Protestant, af
fluent and middle class."
It added: "In all relevant
studies, whether one's
father owned a gun is the
single best predictor of
whether the respondent
owns a gun."
There are about
250,000 guns stolen each
year. However, the study
said there is no reason to
believe that a very large
percentage go into per
manent criminal circula
tion. There are between
150,000 and 200,000 gun
dealers licensed under
the 1968 Gun Control
Act. Less than one per
cent of the applicants for
licenses to sell guns are
jLn ilead 38aMiU
i
AOA DOWD STREET ""
PUJRHAM, NORTH CAROLINA 27701 .
OR. A. 0, MOSELEY, D O., MINISTER
J. Q. TRUIETT, ASSISTANT MINISTER
NOVEMBER 29, 1981
8:00 A.M. Morning Worship
9:30 A.M. Church School
11:00 A.M. Morning Worship
' '!
TRANSPORTATION IS PROVIDED TO ALL j
SERVICES I
Call 688-6052 or 682-8464 or 682-7160
ST. JOSEPH'S AME
CHURCH
r 1 r.jur3
9'
Striving For Liberation and Freedom With
Jesus Christ Since 18S9
2521 Fayettevllle Street, Durham, NC
W.W. Easily, Jr., Minister
NOVEMBER 29. 1981
8:00 A.M. Worship Service
9:30 A.M. Sunday School
11:00 A.M. Regular Worship
Each Wednesday
r Prayer Service 12 Noon
Jr. Church - Wednesday - 8:00 P.M.
rejected by federal
authorities.
The study said there
is no hard evidence either
to support or refute the.
theory that private gun
ownership reduces crime;
by deterring offenders',
who fear getting shot.
The project estimated
that about 30,000 deaths!
annually fan be at-
tributed to guns ac-:
cjdental, homicidal or :
suicidal.
Detailing the,
magnitude of crime .and j
violence and its relation
ship to guns, the study
said that between 1960
and 1978 the homicide'
rate increased from 1
about five to nine
homicides per 100,000
population. The percen-',
tage of homicides com-i
mitted with firearms also
increased from 53 per
cent to 63 per cent.
About three-fourths of
the homicides committed
with" firearms. involved
handguns.
The number of rob
beries increased about ,
400 per cent over this
same period, with bet
ween three-fifths and
two-thirds being armed
robberies. Among armed
robberies, about 60 to 65
per cent involved a
firearm.
Findings from the
study's sample of Los
Angeles court felony
records showed that a
gun was used in 13.9 per
cent of the cases; another
weapon in 9.8 per cent;
and no weapon in 60.4
per cent. There were no
data in 15.9 per cent of
the cases.
. Other court data
showed a higher pro
bability that the case
would be accepted at in
itial screening if a gun
was involved. Also, gun
users were more likely to
pass from a preliminary
hearing to a formal ar
raignment and from a
formal arraignment to
trial.
The study said gun of
fenders were less likely to
plead guilty than offenders-
using no
weapon, regardless of :
the seriousness of the
charges and other of- !
fender characteristics. , '
Finally, the probabili
ty of a prison sentence
for those either pleading
guilty or convicted at
trial was much higher if a
gun was involved in the
crime, and the average
length of sentence was
greater as well. The use '
of a gun by a convicted .
felon increased his
average jail sentence by '
about 600 days. For the i
gun felon who pleaded
guilty, the average in
crease amounted to 450
days.
The study recom
mended improving court
procedures for recording
' weapons data, proposing
.that an existing data
system called the Pro
secutors Management
' Information System
(PROMIS) should be ex
panded to include more
weapons' information
than the single item cur
rently recorded (whether
a gun, other weapon or
no weapon was used in
commission of a crime).
The project's survey
of police departments
revealed that police ad
ministered an average of
only 3.8 of 15 weapons
regulations specified in
the survey questionnaire.
However, all local police
departments reported
stolen guns to the Na
tional Crime Informa
tion Center (NCIQ.
Some 83 per cent of the
departments said they
also w6uld report a
stolen gun to a regional
or local weapons tracing
system.
The study recom
mended that police
departments establish
uniform data recording
procedures and a cen-
SAN BERNARDINO.
CA. The countdown
has begun for massive
national conference for
black evangelical Chris
tians perhaps the
'largest ever of its kind
scheduled for late
December in Chicago.
. Leaders of the gather
ing, "Chicago '81: a
iCritkal Moment ir
Black America," believe
that now is the time to
"establish spiritual
direction and new
priorities for black
' ' America in the decade of
the Ws."
A number of leading
black evangelical
spokesmen will address
an estimated 2,000 to
3,000 conferees expected
for "Chicago '81,"
December 27-31. Cam-
, pus Crusade for Christ is
coordinating the event.
" Denominationalism
will play no role what-
V soever," says the Rev.
,E.V. Hillof Losangeles,
' one of the most influen-
: tial pastors In
America today.
simply want to seek to
apply biblical solutions
to some of the most
plaguing problems of
our society."
Besides Hill, an im
pressive lineup of
speakers for the event in
cludes Crawford Loritts,
of Atlanta, a popular
campus lecturer and na- j
tional coordinator of j
Campus Crusade's i
Robinson, a scser, i
poser, recording pro
ducer and arranger, and
Deborah Maize, a
talented soloist, will per
form for conferees. Soul
Liberation, a popular
Dallas music croup, will
also be part of the pro
gram. Portraying inner cities
is "time bombs waiting
co. explode" because of
:hronic unemployment,
racial strife and other
ills, leaders of the in
terdenominational "Chicago 81" contend
that efforts to deal with
j surface problems of
blacks through legisla
tion have met with disap
pointing results.
Thus, they say, blacks
must be equipped to deal
with root problems
through the enablement
of the person of Jesus
Christ.
'The deepest needs of
Here's Life, Inner City
minitry; Haman Cross,
of Detroit's Afro
American Mission;
Willie Richardson,
founder and pastor of
Christian Stronghold
Baptist Church in
Philadelphia, and Dr.
: Bill Bright, president and
founder of Campus
Crusade, which is based
in San Bernardino.
While much of the
content of "Chicago
,81" will deal with
crucial challenges con
fronting blacks in this
' decade; the conference is
expected to have high ar
itistic appeal, too.
Gospel musician Eddie
black America are
spiritual; therefore, the
solution must be '
black , spiritual," notes a
we brochure that mves
details of "Chicago
'81."
Loritts, chairman of
the conference planning
committee, sees several
developments that must
occur in order for
spiritual renewal to
become a reality.
"Black America's
future hinges on three
things," he says.
"First, receptivity on
the part of the black
church to the spiritual
awakening God wants to
send.
"Second, a respon
siveness -on the part of
the unchurched to the
proclamation of the
gospel message.
"And, third, the long
term commitment on the
part of a significant
number of black Chris
tians to become a part of
' the missionary forces,
both in this country and
overseas."
According to Tom
Fritz, "Chicago '81".
program ' 1 director,
seminars will cover
(Continued On Page 4)
cost, purposes for each
gun, frequencies of use
and how the gun was ac
quired. The study also called
for further research that
would measure the stock
of firearms held private
ly; describe the firearms
distribution system;
evaluate the effects of
alternative gun control
legislation, and develop
theoretical models for
classifying firearms use
in crime.
Finally, the study sug
gested that as knowledge
about how guns are ac
quired, distributed, and
used is "highly limited,"
Congress and state
legislatures should be
about
UArv QlltlM1C
trahzed reporting system ;maki underlying
,ui .u.v , assumptions Defore pass
weapons used in the . control
commission of crime. legislation
The project proposed The complete- project
a national household nndi results md
survey that would gather recommendations arc
information about the containcd in a scries of
type of firearms owned, four tcchnic&l rcsearch
age, condition, purcnase products
an ex-
' ecutive summary report:
' I. Weapons, Crime and
Violence in America: A
Literature Review and
Research Agenda. II.
Weapons, Crime and
'. Violence in America: An
Annotated Bibliography.
III. Weapons Policies: A
Survey of Police Depart
ment Practices Concern
ing Weapons and
Related Issues. IV. Ef
fects of Weapons Use on
Felony Cases Disposi
tion: An Analysis of .
Evidence from the Los
Angeles PROMIS
System. V. Weapons and
Violent Crime: Executive
Summary. Volumes I, II
and V will be published
by the Government Prin
ting Office during the
next several months.
Draft copies of the ex
ecutive summary will be
available on a loan basis
from the National
Criminal Justice
Reference Service, Box
6000, Rockville,
Maryland 20850.
Telephone 301-251-5500..
fit. Mttirtf HttttPp
QUfurrh; of (Sbrhit
171 5 ATHENS STREET
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA 27707
TELEPHONE: 688-5066
' On the Move for God "
Rev. J. Cecil Cheek, B.Th., M.Div. Minister
NOVEMBER 29, 1981
9:30 A.M.
11:00 A.M.
4:00 P.M.
t ,
6:30 P.M.
Sunday School
Morning Worship
Church Anniversary
WEDNESDAY
Mid-Week Service
Bus Service (or Church Sunday School and Mor
ning Worship Services. Everyone is welcome to
come and oin us to all services.
T
Orit Oorlt Bajtfifit
FOUNDED 1866
3400 FAYETTEVILLE STREET
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA 27707
LORENZO A. LYNCH,
PASTOR
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1981
9:30 A.M.
Church School
Worship
10:55 A.M.
Sermon The Pastor
On Cleaning (Working at) Our Windows
Wyes)
(Matthew 6:22-23) .
Gospel Choir leading the singing
Mrs. V. W. Alston, Directress .
Mrs. P. J. Holiday, Organist
Senior Ushers . Ushering.