The April 26 letter "The other studies" told us that "gun-free Scotland's homicide rate tops all of Europe," that "gun crime trebles as weapons and drugs flood British cities" and that there's a "record rise in the number of burglars using guns."

The writer doesn't say that there were eight gun deaths in Scotland in 2006-2007 (Scottish government) and 59 in England and Wales in the same year (Home Office). In 2005 (the last year for which data are available nationally), there were 12,682 gun homicides in the United States, with 451 in North Carolina (www.cdc.gov), and 29 in Durham alone (N&O, 1/19/06).

To put it in perspective, the approximate population of these areas is Scotland, 5 million; England and Wales, 53 million; U.S. 300 million; North Carolina, 8.5 million; and city of Durham, fewer than 187,000 (British Council, U.S. Census, durhamnc.gov).

We wouldn't even consider Scotland or England and Wales a problem in the U.S. It sounds to me like their gun policies have worked.

Some writers try to deceive you; you must consider the source.

Connie Padgett

Chapel Hill