NCJ Number
140266
Date Published
1990
Length
34 pages
Annotation
This report of the Virginia State Crime Commission presents findings and recommendations from the commission's assessment of the scope and danger of the manufacture of nondetectable firearms and firearms or explosive that contain materials other than metal.
Abstract
The study also determined the adequacy and effectiveness of jailhouse and courtroom weapons-detection devices and assessed the impact on the State of recent Federal legislation regarding plastic guns and whether similar State legislation is appropriate. The subcommittee of the Virginia State Crime Commission studied the report on undetectable firearms produced by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and also conducted a mail survey on courtroom and jailhouse security. The information received by the subcommittee indicated that currently there are no all-plastic firearms in production nor any plans to manufacture such firearms. Also, results of a survey on courtroom and jailhouse security distributed to all State sheriffs, indicates no outstanding problems overall in Virginia. A leading gun manufacturer in Virginia, Heckler and Koch, Inc., uses plastic component parts to enhance the quality of many of its firearms; however, each firearm still contains a substantial amount of electromagnetic material and can be readily detected by conventional detection equipment. The subcommittee did find that a North American Arms .22 caliber five-shot revolver, weighing approximately 4.0 ounces with grips, was not detected within or without its camouflage plastic "paging device" by the walk- through device at a rural Virginia courtroom. The subcommittee recognized the need to caution law enforcement agencies about the camouflage paging device and mini revolver and to provide these agencies with information from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms report on detection capabilities. Finding that plastic firearms do not present a particular problem otherwise, the subcommittee did not make any additional recommendations. Appended survey findings and supplementary material.