Chapter 7 Flashcards
(12 cards)
Number 1 source of guns for criminals?
- theft
- 1 million guns per year are stolen
Gun control Act of 1968
- regulated interstate commerce
- banned importation of cheap, small handguns
- –NO effect on crime
1994 Violent Crime Control Act
- Banned a variety of assault weapons
- banned large ammo clips
- did not ban previous ownership of these items
- —- NO effect on crime
Assault weapon definition?
semi-automatic firearm that possesses certain cosmetic features of an assault rifle that is full automatic
-not more lethal, doesn't have a difference having a larger clip
City wide gun bans
Washington D.C. 1976 handgun purchase ban
Chicago 1982 handgun ‘ban’
-Made people fill out an application and then would not accept any applications
Loftin et al. (1991) study
Issues?
Conclusion?
- DC gun-licensing law decreased homicides by firearms
- Gun ban DID have an effect— critiques of study:
- ban not preventing people who already have guns from having them—- should not have had an immediate drop in violent crime rate
Issues:
- should have been gradual drop
- homicide by firearm rates were decreasing prior to 1976 when law was created
Conclude:
Homicide drop NOT due to handgun ban
Issues with gun bans
If regulated gun type is rare in non-criminal population, it is also rare among criminals
The technical characteristics that make guns useful for criminal purposes are most likely useful for lawful purposes
Restrictions on 1 type of gun may encourage substitution
-often times for a more lethal gun—–ban in Washington on handguns so long guns instead
Defensive gun use
Alter gun designs
- trigger locks
- Goal: reduce accidental shootings
- personalize gun technology
- more for safety then to prevent crime
Buyback programs
- give a small amount of money or reward to people who volunteer to turn in their gun
- does not occur often so less participants
- participants are low risk so not who you really want to target
Gun control of 1968
- Bans certain individuals from purchasing guns at a dealer
- Minors, adults under indictment, people convicted of misdemeanor for domestic violence, aliens, other
Brady act of 1994
- Required dealers to conduct background checks
- waiting period (about 5 days until people could get their guns)
- 1999 no more waiting period—- instant background checks
NO effect on crime rate
FL 1986 concealed carry handgun law
- before local sheriff would decide who could carry a gun
- people who got permits ended up being well behaved citizens
