While authorities examine options for controlling the violence on the border, experts tell us one way of doing that is to inhibit the flow of guns and that can be done by better recordkeeping by gun dealers.
It’s a wide open country in many places when it comes
to buying guns. But where gun sellers are regulated, fewer firearms
pass to criminals, according to research. How will this impact the
debate on gun rights?
to buying guns. But where gun sellers are regulated, fewer firearms
pass to criminals, according to research. How will this impact the
debate on gun rights?
Many people opt for
few firearm restrictions, clinging closely to strict Constitutional
interpretation. But police departments and border patrols have been
concerned about guns getting to the bad guys, and that has been the
problem.
Researchers at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have found
preventing criminals from getting guns by making firearm sellers
accountable is essential since 85 percent of the guns recovered by law
enforcement were found in the hands of criminals who hadn’t originally
purchased the guns.
few firearm restrictions, clinging closely to strict Constitutional
interpretation. But police departments and border patrols have been
concerned about guns getting to the bad guys, and that has been the
problem.
Researchers at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have found
preventing criminals from getting guns by making firearm sellers
accountable is essential since 85 percent of the guns recovered by law
enforcement were found in the hands of criminals who hadn’t originally
purchased the guns.
In other words, it’s important to have a data bank
to learn the identity of the original firearm owner to reduce gun
trafficking.
to learn the identity of the original firearm owner to reduce gun
trafficking.
The John Hopkins effort
is the first study to gather and bring together measures of
enforcement of gun sale laws into whether or not those laws are
effective. “In the U.S., few states have a comprehensive system to keep
firearms sellers accountable,” said the study’s lead author Daniel
Webster, ScD, MPH, and co-director of the Bloomberg School’s Center for
Gun Policy and Research and associate professor in the Bloomberg
School’s Department of Health Policy and Management. “Our analysis found
that the states with strong regulations and oversight of gun dealers,
as well as regulation of private sellers, have far less gun trafficking
than do states that lack these measures.”
is the first study to gather and bring together measures of
enforcement of gun sale laws into whether or not those laws are
effective. “In the U.S., few states have a comprehensive system to keep
firearms sellers accountable,” said the study’s lead author Daniel
Webster, ScD, MPH, and co-director of the Bloomberg School’s Center for
Gun Policy and Research and associate professor in the Bloomberg
School’s Department of Health Policy and Management. “Our analysis found
that the states with strong regulations and oversight of gun dealers,
as well as regulation of private sellers, have far less gun trafficking
than do states that lack these measures.”
Under U.S. federal law gun dealers have to have a license under Alcohol
Tobacco and Firearms in order to ensure those who purchase guns have
passed a background check. Some states do more by requiring inspections
and anti-theft security measures and some regulate all gun sales.
Tobacco and Firearms in order to ensure those who purchase guns have
passed a background check. Some states do more by requiring inspections
and anti-theft security measures and some regulate all gun sales.
The
Federal gun law allows private sellers to transfer guns without a
background check or any keeping of records.
Researchers looked at state laws, surveyed law enforcement practices,
and looked at compliance of gun sale laws. According to the study,
cities with the lowest levels of in-state gun trafficking were Santa
Ana, CA; Camden and Newark, NJ; New York, NY; and Boston, MA.
Federal gun law allows private sellers to transfer guns without a
background check or any keeping of records.
Researchers looked at state laws, surveyed law enforcement practices,
and looked at compliance of gun sale laws. According to the study,
cities with the lowest levels of in-state gun trafficking were Santa
Ana, CA; Camden and Newark, NJ; New York, NY; and Boston, MA.
What
researchers found was that these cities were in states with regulations
of private handgun sales, four of them having strong oversight of gun
dealers while another four had special purchase licensing systems.
Those cities that had the highest levels of gun trafficking were Gary,
Indiana, Tucson, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, Albuquerque, New Mexico and
Indianapolis where gun sales had no accountability measures.
researchers found was that these cities were in states with regulations
of private handgun sales, four of them having strong oversight of gun
dealers while another four had special purchase licensing systems.
Those cities that had the highest levels of gun trafficking were Gary,
Indiana, Tucson, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, Albuquerque, New Mexico and
Indianapolis where gun sales had no accountability measures.
The study
found there was no effect on intrastate trafficking with respect to the
laws that limit handgun sales to one per person per month. We observed
no effect on intrastate trafficking of laws limiting handgun sales to a
maximum of one per person per month.
Co-author of the study, Jon Vernick, JD, MPH, co-director of the Center
for Gun Policy and Research and associate professor in the Department of
Health Policy and Management, had this to say, “While some have
questioned the ability of gun sales regulations to keep guns from
criminals, our findings are consistent with other studies which found
that measures intended to enhance gun seller accountability can
significantly curtail the flow of new guns to criminals.”
found there was no effect on intrastate trafficking with respect to the
laws that limit handgun sales to one per person per month. We observed
no effect on intrastate trafficking of laws limiting handgun sales to a
maximum of one per person per month.
Co-author of the study, Jon Vernick, JD, MPH, co-director of the Center
for Gun Policy and Research and associate professor in the Department of
Health Policy and Management, had this to say, “While some have
questioned the ability of gun sales regulations to keep guns from
criminals, our findings are consistent with other studies which found
that measures intended to enhance gun seller accountability can
significantly curtail the flow of new guns to criminals.”
The debate on gun laws often includes the degree of restrictions.
Opponents of the laws requiring record keeping maintain they create
undue restrictions on firearm dealers and are too restrictive. Those in
favor of restrictions declare the record keeping is simplified by
technological advances and that they help keep firearms out of the hands
of criminals. This new study seems to support the latter debate, but
it is reasonable to assume that the argument hasn’t ended, since the
several states already have different opinions and approaches on the
matter of gun control.
Opponents of the laws requiring record keeping maintain they create
undue restrictions on firearm dealers and are too restrictive. Those in
favor of restrictions declare the record keeping is simplified by
technological advances and that they help keep firearms out of the hands
of criminals. This new study seems to support the latter debate, but
it is reasonable to assume that the argument hasn’t ended, since the
several states already have different opinions and approaches on the
matter of gun control.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Say something constructive. Negative remarks and name-calling are not allowed.