In Turkey On Personal Armament Statistics

In year 2007 between January and April

276,573 incidents occurred against people, property, society, nation and state.  3037 were killed and 54.350 people were injured in these incidents. The number of licensed guns used and confiscated in these incidents is 767; the number of unlicensed guns is 5809...

The number of unlicensed guns used in the first 4 months of 2007 is more than 7.5 times as much as the licensed guns...

In Year 2006

A total of 785,510 incidents occurred against property and individuals. (Against property: 463,834 incidents; against individuals: 321,676 incidents) 8069 people died in these incidents and 161.602 people were injured. The number of licensed guns used and confiscated in these incidents is 2659; the number of unlicensed guns is 19.769...

The number of unlicensed guns used in 2006 is almost 7.5 times as much as the licensed guns...

 With blank guns:

According to the statistics of Istanbul Security General Directorate; during the first 9 months of 2006 the number of incidentsonly in police areas of Istanbul in which blank guns was involved is 2475.  33 people were killed and 566 people were injured due to conversion of blank guns into real guns. 391 deforcement incidents occurred.

According to the statistics gathered by Security General Directorate Head Department of Public Order; according to the statistics in  2006, of a total of 2066 homicide cases and homicide attempts; % 29 were carried out with firearms, 20% with blades and % 51 with other instruments. It was determined that 87% of the firearms used were unlicensed.. 

On the other hand, within the same year (2006) the number of "firing arms in residential areas" incidents has reached 6533’ü and this total was increased by 19% in comparison to year 2005. There is a 2% decrease in uncovering this crime compared to 2005. A more serious aspect of the case is the firearm numbered 6136…The number of illegal incidents has increased in 2006 by 79% to 19,137 compared to the previous year.  The socio-criminological and forensic fact documented by these data is that there is a seriousappeal in Turkey to arms.

The gravity of this problem shall be revealed when a survey shall be carried out on victims of crime. This is because all the existing data consists of those cases which have been reported to the police. There are also other cases named as dark numbers in criminology which have never been reported to the police and the amount of these are really high. Even though it not possible to know with these statistics and with the news we witness about “stray bullet” victims on mass communications media who will hit the national tragedy lottery; but is certain that many more will die.  The momentum achieved in terms of fighting against this sociologically-structured fetishism based on culture to carry guns with the efforts of Umut Foundation and with the support of various social segments is very important...One of the most important variables in this Picture is the increase in drug use and trafficking. The basic theoretical approach among the theoretical approaches that identify the affects and emphasizes gun and drug addiction is the theory that they are "easily obtained". This theory has been proved Turkey.

Statistics on “Issuing” Permits for Carrying Guns and Possessing Guns

DISTRIBUTION OF GUN PERMITS ISSUED IN 2005 and 2006

ACCORDING TO THEIR TYPES

According to the statistics of Turkish National Police;

According to the types of gun permits issued in 2005 and 2006 the estimated distribution of gun permits to be issued in 2007 is as follows:

According to the Statistics of Gendarmerie General Command;

1. Gendarmerie General Commands in the gendarmerie area have issued;
   in year 2005                 821 rifle permits;
   out of which;                 434 arefor possession,
   112 are for carrying,
   269 are for carrying as a civil servant,
   6 are for carrying as a retired civil servant
2. in year 2006                815 rifle permits have been issued; 
   out of which;                 436 arefor possession,
   105 are for carrying,
   267 are for carrying as a civil servant,
   7 are for carrying as a retired civil servant
3. in year 2007                793 rifle permits have been issued       

4. out of which;                 410 arefor possession, 
   105 are for carrying,
   270 are for carrying as a civil servant,  
   8 are for carrying as a retired civil servant

 CONCLUSIONS

If the data provided by Gendarmerie General Command and one million shotguns and rifles for hunting purposes are taken into consideration; the number of licensed gums in police and gendarmerie areas is around 2.5 million. If the unlicensed guns used in criminal acts are also considered the number of guns in use in Turkey (including licensed and unlicensed guns and excluding converted blank guns) is on average between 7 and 10 million. It has been determined that the number of unlicensed and blank guns is increasing very rapidly and that they are commonly used in criminal acts.  

RESOURCES:: Data gathered from Turkish National Police, Istanbul Police, Gendarmerie General Command and put together by UMUT FOUNDATION...