Gun Control (Pt 2)

UK Gun Laws

The UK implemented stringent gun laws similar to Australia's, including registration, licensing, and a ban on semiautomatics. After a tragic mass shooting in 1996, the UK banned handguns and initiated a buyback program, purchasing around 160,000 handguns from the public 1. However, the impact of these measures was complex. Prof. Peter Squires noted that handgun crime actually doubled in the four years following the ban, partly due to increased gang activity and changes in crime recording methods 1.

The real irony is that in the four years after the handgun ban became law, handgun crime doubled in Britain.

--- Prof. Peter Squires

Despite the initial rise in gun crime, the UK's gun homicide rate remains low, with recent studies indicating a near-zero rate 2.

   

US Gun Laws

In the US, gun laws vary significantly by state, with federal regulations requiring background checks for purchases from licensed dealers. However, private sales often bypass these checks, contributing to a firearm homicide rate 25 times higher than other high-income countries 3. Mark Jones, a former ATF special agent, highlights the inconsistencies in the background check system, which often lacks comprehensive criminal and mental health records 3.

Our criminal justice reporting system is a hodgepodge of 50 states systems feeding into the FBI's NCIC.

--- Mark Jones

Gun shop owner Bob Kostaras explains that buyers must fill out a federal form, but the effectiveness of these checks is limited by the fragmented reporting system 4.