Even the gun "buybacks" have been flagrant failures, and at least in a buyback the person disposing of the gun gets something in return. In a drop box you get exactly nothing.
There is one circumstance in which the concept of a "drop box" does work. That is where there will be real screening of the persons afterward, so the "drop box" is a way to get rid of contraband before getting caught and facing the consequences. This is exactly what was done on my flight coming home from Vietnam back in 1971. We were on a chartered Flying Tigers flight, and while in the air the stewardess announced that she would be walking down the aisle with a cloth bag and that things could be dropped in with no questions asked. As she walked down you could hear things being dropped in which were heavy enough to make a real clunk so I assume it was a gun or hand grenade or something similar. Then when we reached our destination in the U.S., it was announced that when we left that room we would be going through U.S. Customs, so if anyone had anything they shouldn't have, they could use the trash cans where we were with no questions asked. I was amazed that quite a few returning soldiers went over and dropped something in the trash barrels before going through customs. Ironically, my personal inspection as I went through Customs was being asked the question: "Do you have anything with you that you shouldn't have?". When I answered "No", I was waved through. I will admit that at that moment it crossed my mind that I could have hidden my M79 grenade launcher in my suitcase after all.
There is one circumstance in which the concept of a "drop box" does work. That is where there will be real screening of the persons afterward, so the "drop box" is a way to get rid of contraband before getting caught and facing the consequences. This is exactly what was done on my flight coming home from Vietnam back in 1971. We were on a chartered Flying Tigers flight, and while in the air the stewardess announced that she would be walking down the aisle with a cloth bag and that things could be dropped in with no questions asked. As she walked down you could hear things being dropped in which were heavy enough to make a real clunk so I assume it was a gun or hand grenade or something similar. Then when we reached our destination in the U.S., it was announced that when we left that room we would be going through U.S. Customs, so if anyone had anything they shouldn't have, they could use the trash cans where we were with no questions asked. I was amazed that quite a few returning soldiers went over and dropped something in the trash barrels before going through customs. Ironically, my personal inspection as I went through Customs was being asked the question: "Do you have anything with you that you shouldn't have?". When I answered "No", I was waved through. I will admit that at that moment it crossed my mind that I could have hidden my M79 grenade launcher in my suitcase after all.
