Gun crime in the UK - law and controls

jpod

jpod

jpod

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Is firearm crime increasing in the United Kingdom?

I know there is a review of the law proposed. How does the Police and law control them?

Should there be less legal controls or even tighter controls.

I know there are some gendarmes on here, and gun owners, what type of guns are used in crime?

(I am studying the topic).
 
jpod said:
Is firearm crime increasing in the United Kingdom?

I know there is a review of the law proposed. How does the Police and law control them?

Should there be less legal controls or even tighter controls.

I know there are some gendarmes on here, and gun owners, what type of guns are used in crime?

(I am studying the topic).
Click to expand...

There have been two shootings in Rochdale this month. around ten this year.

Definitely more than usual!
 
Is firearm crime increasing in the United Kingdom?

No, there was a sharp increase following the ban on handguns in 1997 which was to be expected as the ban only effected legal holders and made criminals out of them if they werent handed in to police for destruction (with no compensation)

I know there is a review of the law proposed. How does the Police and law control them?

The review isn't around the firearms laws per say but more the wording with regards to making them more simple for police to understand and making them clearer overall.

Are you asking how police and law control firearms eg licensing or the regulation behind them?

Should there be less legal controls or even tighter controls.

IMO both. Currently when applying for a new license you have to provide a details of your GP or a letter essentially so they can check you are of sound mind and health to own a firearm. You must state any medical condition you have or have had which would effect an application. On renewal of a licence the police may do check to see if you are still fit.

HOWEVER if you have a license then have a nervous breakdown for example the Doctor is under no legal obligation to tell the police. Notifying them would mean your license would be revoked or held and guns sold or stored away from you. I personally feel this should change so there is a legal obligation for doctors to make the police aware.

You can own firearms if you have a history of depression for example if you are managing it or given the "all clear" but it will be harder. You cannot own a firearm or be part of a firearms club/scene if you have enjoyed a stay at one of the holiday camps we call Prisons.

I do believe that the Handgun ban needs repealing or at least modifying to allow small caliber eg .22lr for shooting at approved clubs. All the handgun ban did was provide a false sense of security to the public and changed NOTHING.

I know there are some gendarmes on here, and gun owners, what type of guns are used in crime?

95% of the time or more.. literlally anything illegal that can be imported into the UK
 
harry5522 said:
There have been two shootings in Rochdale this month. around ten this year.

Definitely more than usual!
Click to expand...

Maybe for your area but this anecdotal evidence is not representative of the bigger picture.

Gun crime in the U.K has been on the decline for the last 7 years, so as OldCoals said the current approach is working and long may it continue.

EVIDENCE:
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Also when Australia introduced strict gun controls and bans in 1996 gun-related homicides in Australia dropped 59% between 1995 and 2006.

EVIDENCE:
http://andrewleigh.org/pdf/GunBuyback_Panel.pdf
 
From a home office publication in Sept 2015. Legal gun ownership is actually on the increase.

Firearm certificates on issue, as at 31 March 2006 to 2015, England and Wales

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Shotgun certificates on issue, as at 31 March 2006 to 2015, England and Wales

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Summary

Firearm certificates

There were 153,603 firearm certificates on issue as at 31 March 2015, an increase of 1.4% (2,190) compared with the previous year’s figure, and the highest number since 1988
There were 525,125 firearms covered by such certificates, an increase of 3.4% (17,258) compared with the previous year’s figure, and the highest number since these figures first became available in 1995
There were 9,053 new firearm certificate applications granted in the year to 31 March 2015, an increase of 1.4% (123) compared with the previous year’s figure
Of the new applications for firearm certificates in the year to 31 March 2015 (9,241), 2.0% (188) were refused, this compares with 1.5% (140) which were refused in the previous year
A total of 406 firearm certificates were revoked in the year to 31 March 2015, an increase of 1.0% (4) compared with the previous year’s figure
There were 3,422 registered firearm dealers as at 31 March 2015, a decrease of 1.8% (-64) compared with the previous year’s figure; the number of firearm dealers also includes any business that sells or transfers shotguns

Shotgun certificates

There were 582,494 shotgun certificates on issue as at 31 March 2015, a decrease of 0.1% (-429) compared with the previous year’s figure
There were 1,338,399 shotguns covered by such certificates, an increase of 0.7% (9,023) compared with the previous year’s figure and the highest number since the year ending 31 March 2010
There were 21,438 new shotgun certificate applications granted in the year to 31 March 2015, a decrease of 9.5% (-2,242) compared with the previous year’s figure
Of the new applications for shotgun certificates in the year to 31 March 2015 (22,067), 2.9% (629) were refused; this compares with 2.8% (675) which were refused in the previous year
A total of 1,373 shotgun certificates were revoked in the year to 31 March 2015, a decrease of 0.3% (-4) compared with the previous year’s figure
 
C.R.A.Z.Y said:
Maybe for your area but this anecdotal evidence is not representative of the bigger picture.

Gun crime in the U.K has been on the decline for the last 7 years, so as OldCoals said the current approach is working and long may it continue.
Click to expand...

Agreed the current approach is working but one of the biggest problems to administering the licensing is EVERY licensing team in the UK is understaffed and have no resources so its not uncommon for someone to Have a Firearms Cert, send it off for renewal 3 months in advance, those 3 months pass with the firearms department in their area saying there is a backlog, refusing to issue a temp license and they the legal firearms owner has to pay for storage of their guns at a RFD at their expense for fear of being classed as an "illegal owner" and another illegal firearm statistic.
 
Personally I think the current laws work ok but as HybridX said there needs to be tighter regulation of firearms owners in regard to circumstances where they should forfeit the rights to them - I would go even further in that even relatively mild misdemeanors should be considered also. I know in atleast 2 cases around here where someone has shot their family and then killed themselves with a legally owned shotgun while "everyone" who knew the person had known for months that things weren't right including doctors, etc. (that said they'd have probably carried it out by other means if they were that bent on it anyhow but with less chance of collateral damage i.e. in one case there was a brief standoff with police before he turned the gun on himself).

Also agree that there should be some limited de-restriction on low calibre single shot/straight pull weapons especially those typically used for recreational shooting etc.
 
Rroff said:
Personally I think the current laws work ok but as HybridX said there needs to be tighter regulation of firearms owners in regard to circumstances where they should forfeit the rights to them - I would go even further in that even relatively mild misdemeanors should be considered also. I know in atleast 2 cases around here where someone has shot their family and then killed themselves with a legally owned shotgun while "everyone" who knew the person had known for months that things weren't right including doctors, etc. (that said they'd have probably carried it out by other means if they were that bent on it anyhow but with less chance of collateral damage i.e. in one case there was a brief standoff with police before he turned the gun on himself).

Also agree that there should be some limited de-restriction on low calibre single shot/straight pull weapons especially those typically used for recreational shooting etc.
Click to expand...


Re the top point as you said yourself doctors knew...... so the doctor should have a legal responsibility to report any issues which may stop someone from owning firearms. Police already work on intelligence led reports of owners who have had issues and in all honesty any mild crime committed by a firearms owner will end up ina review of their license.

Re the de-restriction of some firearms laws, straight pull/bolt action rifles are legal for everything from .22lr to .50cal. In the UK the average license holder can only own semi auto .22lr and nothing else that's semi auto, rest has to be bolt action or straight pull. Even pistol are still legal but with ludicrous long barrels and arm braces attached, its an overall length requirement to make them not concealable. Heaven forbid if i was a criminal with access to a saw for a few pounds from Wilko....

See below

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Some legal 50cal love (very few places you can actually shoot one in the UK)
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Personally I'd like to see stricter gun regulations and ideally an outright ban on ALL guns for citizens (with the obvious exception of shotguns for farmers).

If you wanna shoot get a nice air-rifle and if that doesn't appeal to you then perhaps we need to question what it actually is that's attracting you to target shooting!!
 
C.R.A.Z.Y said:
If you wanna shoot get a nice air-rifle and if that doesn't appeal to you then perhaps we need to question what it actually is that's attracting you to target shooting!!
Click to expand...

There isn't that much satisfaction "plinking" away with some of the lower calibres though even just for target shooting there is something quite satisfying to shooting some of the bigger rifles.

(For contrast compare shooting something like the Airwolf .177 v Barrett M98b :P).
 
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C.R.A.Z.Y said:
Personally I'd like to see stricter gun regulations and ideally an outright ban on ALL guns for citizens (with the obvious exception of shotguns for farmers).

If you wanna shoot get a nice air-rifle and if that doesn't appeal to you then perhaps we need to question what it actually is that's attracting you to target shooting!!
Click to expand...

You can get FAC rated airguns which are technically enough to kill a man. Should we include these too?

Considering .17HMR .22LR .223 and .243 .308 etc rifles are used for everything from Rabbits, Fox's to Deer for vermin and herd management should they be excluded too as are shotguns in your eyes as at the end of the day these can be classed as "farming tools"?

So your basis for regulation is someone else likes pursuing a sport or hobby which you don't agree with so it should be banned and their frame of mind questioned? I think you will find that the vast majority of the gun owning populous in the UK are VERY safety conscious and responsible, of sound mind and actually bloody nice people.
 
its not as common as when the ban first came in . notts was a bad area especially some areas but then again not all shootings are reported or mentioned so its always hard to gauge how accurate the tables are or if doctord (yes spelt wrong) :D

it works for us currently.so its seems to be doing good at moment.

im waiting before usa comes in and the worms go everywhere which i feel this will go. ;)
 
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