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| Prof. Sharon Chamard |
A recent article in the
New York Times about high rates of car theft and growing property crime in Alaska referenced an
article by Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, regarding gun ownership in Anchorage and Mat-Su Borough. In
"Car Stolen in Alaska? It Could Be Your Neighbor Chasing the Thief," author Kirk Johnson discusses the rise of civilian crime fighters in Anchorage responding to car thefts. Johnson refers to
Chamard's article that reports surveys showing firearm ownership in Mat-Su Borough among adult heads of household at 71.4 percent and in Anchorage at 52.6 percent to support the "assumption that most Alaskans are armed" and posits that this "may be keeping crime from getting worse." However, Anchorage Police Chief Justin Doll countered that while there are good intentions behind citizen involvement, "it's really dangerous." Citizens should be an active voice for public safety, Doll says in the article, "But when crime actually happens let us deal with it."
