Victims' families ask politicians to back gun registry

[CHIMO]

Four mothers and a sister of victims of gun violence were in Toronto today to plead for the protection of the national gun registry ? a topic of heated debate during the federal election campaign.
"We don't want to punish gun owners but want to protect women and children from being threatened and killed with guns," said Karen Vanscoy, whose 14-year-old daughter Jasmine was shot to death by a young offender.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper intends to do away with the gun registry if his party is elected to power in Monday's election. The other three parties are in favour of keeping it, though the Liberals want to put a $25-million cap on the administration costs.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1088201410284&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968705899037

[JayS]

1. They have spent two billion on this so far and it is still a...

...stupid idea.

[CHIMO]

2. Where Are You Getting

These numbers?
Sounds like something from the NRA and there sort.

[JayS]

3. It comes from an anti-gun Canadian poster in J/PS. n/t

n/t

[CHIMO]

4. Don't Know The Reference

The number that I have seen is 1 billion.
Look at the stats that the article gives and put a price to the lives that have been saved.

[JayS]

5. J/PS is a reference to Justice/Public Safety. It is waaay...

...down at the bottom of the forums page.

The grand total of lives saved is most likely about zero and I would bet it is exactly zero. Such is the nature of registration schemes.

If you want real gun control, see below:

**********************************************
Gun program is working, officials say
BY TIM ELFRINK
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=1636&u_sid=1129203



Statistics released Monday show that a federally funded program to reduce gun violence in Omaha is working, officials said, though similar figures also show an increase in gang violence last year.

Felony gun assaults have dropped by 38 percent since March 2003, while federal prosecution for gun crime increased by 70 percent, officials said at a press conference Monday.

The program, Project Safe Neighborhoods, in February 2003 began distributing federal funding to create community initiatives, fund police operations and raise awareness of the consequences of gun crime.

*SNIP*

"Looking at our numbers this year, the stats are saying to us that we're starting to make inroads into combating gang violence," Jeanette said. Project Safe Neighborhoods is effective because it encourages state and federal courts to cooperate to find long sentences for gun-related crimes, Heavican said.

*SNIP*

In many cases, state courts do not have minimum sentences they must apply to cases involving illegal gun use, but federal courts do. By allowing a federal court to prosecute such a crime, a longer sentence can more consistently be applied.

*SNIP*

***********************************************


From: http://www.psn.gov/About.asp?section=34
FAQs
Q: What is Project Safe Neighborhoods?

A: Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nation-wide commitment to reduce gun violence by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing those programs with additional tools necessary to be successful. The goal is to take a hard line against gun criminals through every available means in an effort to make our streets and communities safer. Project Safe Neighborhoods seeks to achieve heightened coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement, with an emphasis on tactical intelligence gathering, more aggressive prosecutions, and enhanced accountability through performance measures. The offensive will be led by the newly appointed United States Attorney in each of the 94 federal judicial districts across America.

Q: How will Project Safe Neighborhoods be funded?

A: Project Safe Neighborhoods commits substantial resources -- $901 million over three years -- and state-of-the-art technology to address gun violence. This funding is being used to hire new federal and state prosecutors, support investigators, provide training, distribute gun lock safety kits, deter juvenile gun crime, and develop and promote community outreach efforts as well as to support other gun violence reduction strategies.

Q: How will each United States Attorney be involved in Project Safe Neighborhoods?

A: Each local program has been contoured to fit the unique gun crime problem in that district -- it is not a “one size fits all” program applied uniformly all across America. Each United States Attorney has convened all law enforcement participants in his or her community, has identified the most pressing crime problems, and is attacking those problems through aggressive prosecution and the use of newly developed gun intelligence-gathering systems.

Q: What is the difference between Project Safe Neighborhoods and programs like Project Exile?

A: Project Safe Neighborhoods expands on existing programs such as Project Exile (Richmond, VA) and Operation Ceasefire (Boston). Project Exile in Richmond focused gun prosecutions in federal court under federal law. Under Project Safe Neighborhoods, criminals who use guns will be prosecuted under federal, state, or local laws -- depending on where those laws are the toughest. Project Exile in Virginia coordinated resources statewide, while Project Safe Neighborhoods establishes a nation-wide network of programs linked by aggressive cooperation and information sharing.

[CHIMO]

6. I Think We Are Talking About

Two different populations. The article I posted was on Canada's legislation where it was projected to cost around 1 million and is presently at 1 billion and projected to be 2 billion if spending continues at the same rate.
The deaths quoted are Canadian.
Sorry about the confusion.

[JayS]

7. Right, I have followed some of the Canadian experiment...

...and know it has done nothing to save lives. The issue has a good shot at getting the conservatives elected though, same as here. Our party has supported the wrong "brand" of gun control for decades and this has been a contributing factor to us being a minority. The "brand" of gun control I posted would change this.

[CHIMO]

8. OK

Now that we know that we are talking on the same topic, it is my opinion that the gun registration in Canada is divided on rural/urban lines and right/left lines. The seed for the Canadian legislation came from the massacre at University of Montreal in the early 90's. The legislation was eventually brought in but then those parties pushing for it dropped back and stopped fighting for it.
At present the government is saying that the system will only cost 25 million a year once the system has been set up which they are implying has been done.

[JayS]

9. Yup, and the compliance rate is, not surprisingly, low. If I...

...remember correctly, Quebec has ignored it altogether. The Canadian government is like ours in that if they say something will cost $25 million a year, it will be more like $125 million. :)

[CHIMO]

10. Well Guess We Have TO

Wait and see how things come out in the wash.

[JayS]

11. As long as they don't charge us for watching. :) n/t

n/t