Gun Control - What Do We Really Need To Do
When thinking about gun control, we need to recognize that we will never be completely effective at preventing gun deaths. Having said that, there are things we can do to reduce the number of deaths. Specifically:
- Background checks
- Mental health initiatives
- Improved enforcement of existing laws
- Additional laws with regards to gun trafficking
Background Checks
Nobody, even the NRA, wants crooks and crazy people to get guns. The big problem is how to stop this from happening. Most (but alas not all) of the recent mass shooters were able to buy their guns. We need to improve background checks, which includes spending the time and money to make sure information about criminal and mental problems gets into a searchable system. Then we need to make sure all gun sales, including private sales, uses that system of background checks. I'm personally fond of the system here in Illinois. All gun owners have to get a FOID card from the state. This then has to be produced when you buy a gun, even in a private sale.
Mental Health Initiatives
I've talked about deinstitutionalization before. All I will say is that few people will start even a streamlined commitment process if there's no place to put the person being committed. That means money for hospital beds.
Improved enforcement of existing laws
It's a Federal crime for a felon to have a gun. We need to prosecute these people, and lock them up. That means money for prosecutors, cops, jail cells and judges.
Additional laws with regards to gun trafficking
The majority of people killed with a gun are shot by crooks. These crooks aren't buying their guns at Wal-Mart or Gander Mountain. They're buying them from other criminals, via straw buyers. We need to crack down on these purchases. This means making gun straw buying a Federal crime, and providing the resources (dollars and people) to make arrests. We may need some additional laws - I leave that to the ATF and other experts - regarding gun store audits and the like.
Final Thoughts
I'm generally against gun bans. Effective bans would involve reducing magazine capacity and reload time. That may reduce the body count somewhat, but it won't prevent the shooting. Ineffective bans, such as the former assault weapons ban, are merely feel-good bans on weapons based on cosmetics. But keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people and dangerous people out of society is more effective and shouldn't be at all controversial.
- Background checks
- Mental health initiatives
- Improved enforcement of existing laws
- Additional laws with regards to gun trafficking
Background Checks
Nobody, even the NRA, wants crooks and crazy people to get guns. The big problem is how to stop this from happening. Most (but alas not all) of the recent mass shooters were able to buy their guns. We need to improve background checks, which includes spending the time and money to make sure information about criminal and mental problems gets into a searchable system. Then we need to make sure all gun sales, including private sales, uses that system of background checks. I'm personally fond of the system here in Illinois. All gun owners have to get a FOID card from the state. This then has to be produced when you buy a gun, even in a private sale.
Mental Health Initiatives
I've talked about deinstitutionalization before. All I will say is that few people will start even a streamlined commitment process if there's no place to put the person being committed. That means money for hospital beds.
Improved enforcement of existing laws
It's a Federal crime for a felon to have a gun. We need to prosecute these people, and lock them up. That means money for prosecutors, cops, jail cells and judges.
Additional laws with regards to gun trafficking
The majority of people killed with a gun are shot by crooks. These crooks aren't buying their guns at Wal-Mart or Gander Mountain. They're buying them from other criminals, via straw buyers. We need to crack down on these purchases. This means making gun straw buying a Federal crime, and providing the resources (dollars and people) to make arrests. We may need some additional laws - I leave that to the ATF and other experts - regarding gun store audits and the like.
Final Thoughts
I'm generally against gun bans. Effective bans would involve reducing magazine capacity and reload time. That may reduce the body count somewhat, but it won't prevent the shooting. Ineffective bans, such as the former assault weapons ban, are merely feel-good bans on weapons based on cosmetics. But keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people and dangerous people out of society is more effective and shouldn't be at all controversial.