Gun buybacks – what do they really accomplish?
by Jim Irvine
Recently the city of Cleveland gave out $100 gas and grocery gift cards to anyone turning in a handgun. The anti-gun people (including the media) act like this is a great thing. The pro-gun people generally claim it is worthless.
I’ll explain why it is dangerous.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer story begins with this:
A line of cars stretched three city blocks in downtown Cleveland on Saturday while people waited to swap their guns for money.
More than 350 people went to the Convention Center to ex change handguns for a $100 gift card to BP or Dave's supermarket.
They went on to laud how 421 guns were collected. They even quoted Deputy Chief Lester Fultz talking about how “This is going to save a life.”
Or is it?
The story notes than guns will be destroyed after entering their serial numbers to determine if they were stolen. It does not say if stolen guns will be returned to their proper owners, some of whom might like to have them back. Some could be used to defend a potential victim’s life from a violent criminal.
Glaringly missing from the story is any mention of these guns in relation to NIBIN, the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network that
Cleveland will have for the next year thanks to a 5.9 million dollar federal grant.
Instead it is noted that “officers did not ask questions about the guns” from people turning them in.
What a great deal for a murderer. To avoid getting caught with that murder weapon, turn it in for a $100 gift card. The gun will not be subject to ballistic testing which would tie you to a killing. And better yet, the gun (read evidence) will be destroyed for you, so that it can NEVER be used as evidence at your trial.
How many of the guns turned in were in terrible condition - perhaps even to the point of being inopoerable - and not worth $100? How many guns were stolen, thus rewarding criminals for their behavior? How many guns were used in crimes, but can no longer be linked to criminals?
How come no one else is asking these basic questions? Because if they were answered, these guns-for-money programs would be exposed for what they really are. It’s hard to imagine any scenario where this program is reducing crime. It’s easy to see how it helps and rewards criminals.
Once again, we see the leaders in Cleveland doing anything but working to arrest, prosecute and convict criminals.
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