Does a handgun prevent or cause more crime?

Depends on who has the gun & why they have it! I believe that having a gun in your home is fine, I really don't think that carrying one is a good idea, too easy to shoot in anger! I have a gun, in a very safe hidden place, it is unloaded, has never been loaded! I have it because when my husband was on the road & gone all week & I was totally alone in some city I didn't know, I felt safer just knowing it was there, stupid of me, because I can't really think that I could actually shoot someone, but who knows!