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John Lott (b. 1958) is a scholar who published his research demonstrating that an increase in gun ownership results in a reduction in crime, because guns save more lives through deterrence and self-defense than they kill.{{fact}} The title of his 1999 book, which became a class on the issue of guns, is "More Guns, Less Crime."  However, other researchers reanalyzed Lott's data and found numerous errors which nullified Lott's conclusions.<ref>[http://islandia.law.yale.edu/ayers/Ayres_Donohue_comment.pdf] 

John Lott (b. 1958) is a scholar who published his research demonstrating that an increase in gun ownership results in a reduction in crime, because guns save more lives through deterrence and self-defense than they kill.{{fact}} The title of his 1999 book, which became a class on the issue of guns, is "More Guns, Less Crime."  However, other researchers reanalyzed Lott's data and found numerous errors which nullified Lott's conclusions.<ref>http://islandia.law.yale.edu/ayers/Ayres_Donohue_comment.pdf</ref>

Lott also claimed in his book that "98 percent of the time that people use guns defensively, they merely have to brandish a weapon to break off an attack," but was unable to provide data for his assertion, claiming it had been lost in a computer crash.<ref>[http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2003/10/we_590_01.html]

Lott also claimed in his book that "98 percent of the time that people use guns defensively, they merely have to brandish a weapon to break off an attack," but was unable to provide data for his assertion, claiming it had been lost in a computer crash.<ref>http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2003/10/we_590_01.html</ref>

Lott faced additional criticism in 2003, when it was discovered that he had created an alter-ego named "Mary Rosh", which he used to pseudonymously defend his research on various Internet forums.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A8884-2003Jan31]

Lott faced additional criticism in 2003, when it was discovered that he had created an alter-ego named "Mary Rosh", which he used to pseudonymously defend his research on various Internet forums.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A8884-2003Jan31</ref>

Lott also observed how large newspapers and major media outlets consistently underreported the defensive use of guns to save lives.  He found that factual accounts of the defensive use of guns would be reported in small rural newspapers but omitted from stories in larger papers, and stories that appeared days or weeks later.{{fact}}

Lott also observed how large newspapers and major media outlets consistently underreported the defensive use of guns to save lives.  He found that factual accounts of the defensive use of guns would be reported in small rural newspapers but omitted from stories in larger papers, and stories that appeared days or weeks later.{{fact}}