Gun buybacks not effective for curbing violence [View all]

[Jgarrick]

Last edited Wed Apr 30, 2014, 01:46 PM - Edit history (3)

http://www.abc2news.com/news/local-news/investigations/gun-buybacks-not-effective-in-curbing-violence

...And it's unlikely some of the weapons we saw could muster the mettle to even help commit a crime. Our data crunching turned up prop guns, starter pistols and even antique black powder guns among the collection.

Retired federal agent and current University of Maryland criminology professor Thomas Mauriello wasn’t shocked by our findings. "Real criminals, a firearm is a tool of their trade, so they're not giving up their weapons for gift cards or money," Mauriello said.

But that's what these events often offer. In Prince George's County last December, gift cards worth up to $150 were given out. In total $10,000 worth of cards was handed out in exchange for guns, with half of the cost funded by a county grant.

And while some buybacks, like the one held in Baltimore City, didn't use public funds for the firearms, tax dollars were still at work at each and every one. That’s because police agencies are the partner, with police officers collecting and categorizing the weapons. “That's money and effort that could be spent on interventions we know are more effective in reducing rates of street crime and violence overall," Vernick said.

(Excerpt, entire article at link)

Surprisingly skeptical (for a local tv station) article on gun "buybacks".

Pet peeve: how can it be a "buyback" when the people who get the gun didn't own it previous to the event in question?