I need statistics!

U

Uncle Ben

New member
I recently wrote my State Assembly memer to ask her to oppose a bill that would require a permit ($35) to purchase handgun ammunition, allow you to give/transfer no more than 50 rounds to another person, add a $3 per box of ammo tax, and so on. I received this reply:
"This act would prohibit any individual associated with a criminal street gang from purchasing or being in possession of a firearm or ammunition. Further, certain ammunition dealers must obtain a thumbprint and other information to be submitted to the Department of Justice, as specified in the bill.

Assembly Bill 2062 appears to have stalled in the Senate Appropriations Committee. I voted for the passage of the bill when it was before me on the Assembly Floor because law enforcement needs valuable tools like this to reduce the access that criminals have to ammunition.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to educate me about your perspective on this important issue. If I can be of assistance on any state matter in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me."

I will be taking her up on her offer of "educate me" and "do not hesitate to contact me". But I would like to reply with some real statistics since common sense is not a virtue that she exibits. I would like to show the percentage of the # of illegally owned guns (and ammo if possible) that are used in crimes, compared to the # of legally owned guns.

It seems I can't just ask her: "Criminals break the law, so why would they follow this one?" I don't think that would help since it is only logic and no numbers.

Anyway, any links you can help me with would be great. Thanks!
 
Umm I have no clue how to help you. But if they will steal a gun I assume they would take some ammo with them to use it.
 
Perhaps you could ask your Assemblyman to explasin this

This act would prohibit any individual associated with a criminal street gang from purchasing or being in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
Click to expand...

How do they define associated? Much as I dislike the "gang culture", how are they going to change the law so that mere association is cause for denial of a Constitutional right? Unless the gang associate has been convicted of a felony (or misdemeanor domestic violence), which legally prohibits them from having a gun or ammo, how could the state legally refuse a permit? Arbitrary refusal would be grounds for a lawsuit, and persons already prohibited from gun ownership under existing law are already covered, so the permit system does nothing except charge a fee for a constitutional right, and add another (expensive) level of bureaucratic (mis)management in an already financially overburdened state, without any real world benefits. Ask your lawmaker to explain this, if he can.

I'm sure that there are people associated with gangs who are not (yet) prohibited persons, and could legally buy guns and ammo to give or sell to gang members (which would be a crime, but only when it actually happens). Ask your lawmaker to explain how the law would prohibit persons with no criminal record (only an association with a gang) from buying ammo. What standard would they use? How is it to be codified in law? What new standards and requirements are going to be used?

If your lawmaker cannot explain these things, you might suggest to him (in whatever terms you feel appropriate) that if he does not undertand a bill well enough to explain it to his constitutients, it might not be something he should vote on.

You might even go so far as to ask what other laws he doesn't understand he has voted for.
 
Here'a a few links. I haven't tested 'em lately. HTH

GUY SMITH (all in one with sourcedata):
http://www.gunfacts.info/index.html

REFERENCE DATA SOURCES:
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm
http://www.saf.org/LawReviews/SmithT1.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars/
http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate9.html
http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_sy.html
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/homtrnd.htm
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/tables/vracetab.htm
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/race.htm
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/tables/vcitytab.htm
[url]http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content-nw/full/119/6/e1271/T1
http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate9.html
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/2007prelim/
http://www.guncite.com/kleckandgertztable1.html

JOHN LOTT/DAVID HEMENWAY:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,284336,00.html
http://blogsearch.google.com/?bl_ur...ipod.com/&ui=blg&as_q=David+Hemenway&x=69&y=6
http://johnrlott.tripod.com/2006/03/hemenway-and-co-authors-refuse-to.html
http://johnrlott.tripod.com/2006/06/lindgrens-post-on-david-gross-and.html
://johnrlott.tripod.com/2006/02/research-on-guns-and-road-rage.html
http://johnrlott.tripod.com/2006/02/edited-letter-run-in-new-scientist.html
http://johnrlott.tripod.com/op-eds/list.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,336689,00.html
http://johnrlott.tripod.com/op-eds/IBDNIUGunFreeZone022508.html
http://www.johnrlott.com/
 
Of course you're right "AZ", but my assemblywoman does not have the same common sense as you and I to understand that, which is why I was hoping for numbers. May not make a difference either, but I have to at least try.

Thanks for those links "5wire"
 
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