9. Switzerland
Switzerland takes 9th place in the list of countries with no gun laws and low crime because this country is generally known as the country with the least strict gun laws in Europe. Even though it has the highest gun ownership rate per capita (45.7 guns per 100 residents), the homicide by guns per 100,000 people rates is about 0.77. This can be further explained by a criminology expert from the University of Luanne, Martin Killias: “What is decisive is not so much the number of weapons as the number of people who have access to a weapon ” The crime rate in Switzerland is very low – e.g., mass shootings are extremely rare (only two incidents in the last 20 years) in this country. Deaths caused by gun shootings are predominately suicides (suicide rate of 2.74 per 100,000 people that is slightly below the total gun death rate of 3.01). For more information about crime and safety rates in Switzerland, visit Crime in Switzerland. Legal residents from Switzerland have a fundamental right to own guns (except automatic and machine guns, also night vision devices, laser sights, and grenades that are strictly banned). However, all applicants must pass a test on violent crime regulations and proper gun handling tutorial.
Arina P Habich/Shutterstock.com
