Firearm Abuse - A Research and Policy Report

• NCJ Number: 40042
• Author(s): S Brill
• Date Published: January 1977
• Length: 225 pages
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored

Annotation

ANALYSIS OF STATISTICS FROM ATLANTA, BALTIMORE, CHICAGO, DETROIT, HOUSTON, NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, SAN FRANCISCO, AND WASHINGTON (DC) TO STUDY TRENDS IN FIREARM ABUSE AS A FIRST STEP TOWARD DEVELOPING POLICY ALTERNATIVES.

Abstract

THIS STUDY REPRESENTS THE FIRST SUSTAINED EFFORT TO EXAMINE, FROM THE POLICE PERSPECTIVE, THE PROBLEM OF FIREARM ABUSE BY USING POLICE RECORDS. SOME INTRIGUING INFORMATION HAS BEEN DEVELOPED. FOR EXAMPLE, A SIGNIFICANT FINDING EMERGES FROM AN EXAMINATION OF SAMPLES OF FIREARMS CONFISCATED IN TEN CITIES. DATA SHOW THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH HIGHER-PRICED, WELL-KNOWN BRANDS OF HANDGUNS APPEAR IN THE SAMPLES OF FIREARMS BELIEVED TO BE INVOLVED IN MURDER, ROBBERY, ASSAULT AND OTHER FELONIES. THIS EVIDENCE CLEARLY INDICATES THAT THE BELIEF THAT SO-CALLED SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIALS (INEXPENSIVE HANDGUNS) ARE USED TO COMMIT THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THESE FELONIES IS MISLEADING AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND CAN CONFUSE THE POLICE ADMINISTRATOR IN CONFRONTING THE PROBLEM OF FIREARM ABUSE. THE VARIATIONS IN FIREARM CONFISCATION RATES AMONG THE TEN CITIES STUDIED IN THIS REPORT SUGGEST THAT POLICE POLICY AND PROCEDURES IN THESE CITIES SHOULD BE STUDIED FURTHER SO THAT POLICE EFFORTS TO CONFISCATE ILLEGALLY POSSESSED FIREARMS CAN BE IMPROVED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...EB