NCJ Number
47872
Date Published
1970
Length
13 pages
Annotation
SOME OF THE BENEFITS ATTRIBUTED TO FIREARMS REGISTRATION REGULATIONS AS WELL AS THE FEASIBILITY OF NATIONAL LAWS FOR GUN CONTROL WERE MEASURED IN THIS SURVEY.
Abstract
FIREARMS REGISTRATON IN ITS SIMPLEST AND PUREST FORM IS DEFINED AS THE RECORDING OF FIREARM SERIAL NUMBERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING A MEANS OF TRACING A FIREARM TO ITS OWNER. BILLS CALLING FOR NATIONAL FIREARMS REGISTRATION HAVE BEEN DEFEATED IN CONGRESS, BUT MANY STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE PASSED REGISTRATION LAWS. GROUPS OPPOSED TO SUCH RESTRICTIVE LEGISLATION QUESTION THE BENEFITS OF GUN CONTROL LAWS. A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION SHOULD TAKE PLACE TO SEE WHETHER IT IS FEASIBLE AS THE ANNUAL COSTS OF A GUN CONTROL PROGRAM WOULD TAKE UP A VERY LARGE PORTION OF THE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION. TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WHICH CAN BE APPLIED TO A MORE THROUGH STUDY OF COSTS AND BENEFITS LIKELY TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH AN EXTENSIVE FIREARMS REGISTRATION PROGRAM, A QUESTIONNAIRE (NOT INCLUDED) WAS DEVELOPED AND SENT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN ALL 50 STATE. IT REQUESTED INFORMATION ON THE NUMBER OF HOMICIDES, ASSAULTS, AND ROBBERIES WHICH WERE SOLVED BY TRACING THE SERIAL NUMBER ON A GUN. WHEN A STATE REPORTED CASES SOLVED IN THIS WAY, MORE INFORMATION WAS REQUESTED. A TOTAL OF 44 STATES SUPPLIED ENOUGH DATA FOR THE SURVEY. VERY FEW STATES REPORTED CASES SOLVED BY TRACING THE GUN. HOWEVER, MANY STATES UTILIZED REGISTRATION RECORDS IN CASES OF STOLEN OR LOST GUNS, AND MANY LESSER CRIMES WERE SOLVED WITH THE AID OF THE REGISTRATION DATA. AT LEAST 6 HOMICIDES AND 6 ROBBERIES IN THE 44 STATES REPORTING IN THIS SURVEY WERE SOLVED BY TRACING THE GUN'S SERIAL NUMBER. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT, WITHOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF MORE PRECISE COST FIGURES, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MEASURE THE VALUE OF FIREARMS REGISTRATION PROGRAMS IN TERMS OF A COST-BENEFIT RATIO. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON VARIOUS FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GUN CONTROL AND REGISTRATION LAWS IS PROVIDED; A RELEVANT SUPREME COURT DECISION (HAYNES V. UNITED STATES) IS DISCUSSED. TABULAR DATA AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (BAC)