Why the UK has no guns

[Soph0571]

To obtain a firearm license, a person must provide the police with a valid reason for wanting to own each firearm, and each one is listed on their license. Self defence has not been a valid or legal reason to own a firearm since 1968.

Anyone who has been sentenced to more than 3 years in prison is prohibited from obtaining a firearm license for life. Prison sentences for illegal possession of a firearm range from a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, to a maximum of 14 years, with an unlimited fine. Crimes were created by these acts, include ‘trespassing with a firearm,’ which leads to punishment regardless of why the person was trespassing, or whether the firearm was loaded.

Consequently, in the UK gun ownership stands at around 6.5 guns per 100 people, compared to 101 guns per 100 in the US. After the 1997 laws were passed, gun amnesties encouraged people to hand in weapons, and the government purchased 162,000 guns and 700 tons of ammunition from citizens, costing them $200m.

Once owning a handgun is illegal, it means that anyone who owns one is a criminal. The minimum sentence of 5 years for possession of a firearm discourages criminals from using guns when committing crimes. A Londoner is as likely as a New Yorker to be robbed in the street, but the New Yorker is 54 times more likely to be killed in the process.

[link:https://medium.com/@tswriting/why-the-uk-has-no-guns-a345601b6a11|

[T_i_B]

1. We do have some guns in the UK

Just many, many times less than our American friends.

I would suggest that the lack of anything even vaguely resembling the second amendment is a major factor here.

[shenmue]

2. Yay

[arenean]

3. 6.5?

I'm amazed it's as many as 6.5 per 100.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Does seem a bit high

There are statistics for the firearm and shotgun certificates for England and Wales here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/firearm-and-shotgun-certificates-in-england-and-wales-financial-year-ending-march-2017-data-tables

For all of England, it's 2.3 shotguns per 100 people, and 1.0 firearms; for Wales, 3.1 and 1.2. Scotland and Northern Ireland may have figures like Wales or even a bit higher (thinking of the large rural parts of Scotland), but I doubt it would pull the overall total for the UK above 4.0.

They might be including all air rifles/pistols, which don't need a licence if they're below a certain power.