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News & ArtsMonday, January 7, 2013
Crime / City Seattle and King County to Launch Gun Buyback Program
Posted by Goldy on Mon, Jan 7, 2013 at 9:17 PM
You know that idea for a Seattle gun buyback program modeled on the successful program recently conducted in Los Angeles? Turns out a lot of other folks were thinking the same thing:
Please join Mayor Mike McGinn, King County Executive Dow Constantine, the Seattle Police Department, the Seattle Police Foundation, the King County Sherriff, former Seattle Mayors, Mount Zion Baptist Church, Director of Public Health – Seattle & King County Dr. David Fleming, Café Racer owner Kurt Geissel, and other community leaders tomorrow morning for the launch of the Seattle-King County Gun Safety Initiative.
Tomorrow’s announcement will detail a new gun buy back effort in Seattle and the surrounding region, a specific component of the Gun Safety Initiative. Former Seattle Mayors Greg Nickels, Norm Rice, Charles Royer and Wes Uhlman will co-chair the Gun Safety Initiative. Sponsors of the gun buy back effort currently include:
Amazon
Five Point Café
Nate Miles, Eli Lilly
Nucor Steel
PEMCO
Seattle Police Foundation
SEO Moz
Community partners of the gun buy back effort include:Associated Recreation Council
Café Racer
Mount Zion Baptist Church
Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
After I posted, I heard from various parties who were pursuing a gun buyback program. Tomorrow's announcement is the result of their collaboration. More details about this publicly run/privately funded program in the morning.
2
The people most likely to commit crimes are also the people least likely to be turn in their weapons, research has found (http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_i…). And the highest-risk weapons are the least likely to be traded in at buybacks (value).
Garnering good PR is much simpler, than say, reducing violence. The private funders will be shelling out at least a Benjamin for anything with a trigger and its not about to reduce violence or crime.
Garnering good PR is much simpler, than say, reducing violence. The private funders will be shelling out at least a Benjamin for anything with a trigger and its not about to reduce violence or crime.
3
I guess it's easier than:
- giving mentally ill people therapy
- teaching coping skills to men as an alternate to using guns to solve fear, rage, depression, frustration and sadness
- moving away from a national diet rich in Omega-6 fatty acids
- lowering the Gini index
I have my doubts about the effectiveness of this program because Ja'Mari Jones, Dinh Bowman, Nicole Westbrook's killer, Sherry Soth's killer, and Ian Stawicki, all murderers, would not have surrendered their guns for cash incentives. Therefore their ilk will not respond to this community buyback effort and will contribute to 2013's homicide count.
- giving mentally ill people therapy
- teaching coping skills to men as an alternate to using guns to solve fear, rage, depression, frustration and sadness
- moving away from a national diet rich in Omega-6 fatty acids
- lowering the Gini index
I have my doubts about the effectiveness of this program because Ja'Mari Jones, Dinh Bowman, Nicole Westbrook's killer, Sherry Soth's killer, and Ian Stawicki, all murderers, would not have surrendered their guns for cash incentives. Therefore their ilk will not respond to this community buyback effort and will contribute to 2013's homicide count.
4
I'll be there with cash to offer people who have a valuable firearm but dont know it. It's ridicules the sane to let collectible guns be melted down for a 100 dollar qfc card. I'll give em 150 cash. Hell, a good AR is going for upwards of 3000 dollars thanks to you dumbfucks. The city can keep the junk.
And guess what, it's totally fucking legal.
And guess what, it's totally fucking legal.
5
If a gun buy back program saves even one life - including an accidental shooting - it is totally worth it.
8
Yep, totally pointless, there's no reason it could possibly work or affect change because it's just a publicity stunt. There's no way removing more guns from private hands could stop criminal misuse of guns. Unless you believe in math.
This, combined with purchase restrictions like background checks, and waiting periods, is exactly what needs to happen. If you have a gun, you're more likely to kill someone with it or be killed by it. If you are a weapons dealer and you have to wait a month between purchases, you're less likely to stockpile. Given the sheer overwhelming number of privately owned firearms, if you take 1/25th of them out of private hands, that could still amount of thousands of lives saved, either from violent crime, accidental harm, or suicide.
This, combined with purchase restrictions like background checks, and waiting periods, is exactly what needs to happen. If you have a gun, you're more likely to kill someone with it or be killed by it. If you are a weapons dealer and you have to wait a month between purchases, you're less likely to stockpile. Given the sheer overwhelming number of privately owned firearms, if you take 1/25th of them out of private hands, that could still amount of thousands of lives saved, either from violent crime, accidental harm, or suicide.
9
I was initially skeptical about the effectiveness and the cost, but I guess the idea is that normal, non-thug people would turn over the old hunting rifle that dear Uncle Joe, rest in peace, used to go shooting with, in exchange for some quick money, so that sneaky little Grandson Tyler won't get his hands on it. It's probably not intended for the crack-slinging thugs. I don't know if this would have prevented the Sandy Hook massacre, but it might prevent some accidental gun deaths of people who had no business handling a gun.
10
If it makes people feel better and doesn't cost any public money, then have at it I guess.
I don't agree with it 100%, but this article on guns by author Sam Harris is something I've been suggesting to others:
http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-r…
I don't agree with it 100%, but this article on guns by author Sam Harris is something I've been suggesting to others:
http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-r…
12
I read that when they did this somewhere in Florida, most of the guns handed in were from little old ladies who'd been widowed and were keen to get their late husband's damn gun out of the house at last. It all helps.
14
@12 : I believe you are correct. Even if that also happens in our area it should help save lives, since the studies show that owners of guns are in much higher danger of being killed, by their own guns, than non-owners.
16
Hunh, I agree with @2, @3, & @9. Doesn't address gun-related crimes like the Aurora or Newtown shootings, which are why people thought of doing this, and maybe it'll prevebt some accidents or gun thefts.
17
I don't see any problems with this.
Although I would hope that it would become at least an annual event.
Although I would hope that it would become at least an annual event.
18
Better raise a lot of money. I'll be hunting around for some useless, piece of crap, firearms to turn into quick cash (or gift cards).
19
@18 Of the 1,172 guns turned in during Seattle's 1992 gun buy-back, 95% were handguns, and 87% were operational. Apparently not all of them were crappy or useless, that is, until they were melted down and turned into a sculpture.
20
It's something that will go over well with Dow's and Mayor McCheese's supporters, so it does serve a purpose.
21
@18
It isn't a bad thing if gun lovers go and track down widows and girlfriends and whoever else ends up with the disordered collections of dead and jailed gun collectors. The problem is that these guns are lying around in the homes of people who know nothing about them. They end up getting taken by criminals or in the hands of curious kids.
So if someone who has a clue takes it off their hands, that's an improvement. At least there's a bit better chance they'll keep it secure.
And you hardly need to wait for a gun buyback to go do that. Offer cash for old guns. Make a million dollars. Knock yourself out.
The other thing is that if we had requirements for safe storage, and minimal qualifications to own a gun in the first place, we'd have far fewer lying around like this to begin with. Imagine all the beautiful old classic antique guns that could be saved if they were kept out of the hands of morons.
But whatever. Buy. Buy away. Get out there and buy them. Nobody is stopping you.
It isn't a bad thing if gun lovers go and track down widows and girlfriends and whoever else ends up with the disordered collections of dead and jailed gun collectors. The problem is that these guns are lying around in the homes of people who know nothing about them. They end up getting taken by criminals or in the hands of curious kids.
So if someone who has a clue takes it off their hands, that's an improvement. At least there's a bit better chance they'll keep it secure.
And you hardly need to wait for a gun buyback to go do that. Offer cash for old guns. Make a million dollars. Knock yourself out.
The other thing is that if we had requirements for safe storage, and minimal qualifications to own a gun in the first place, we'd have far fewer lying around like this to begin with. Imagine all the beautiful old classic antique guns that could be saved if they were kept out of the hands of morons.
But whatever. Buy. Buy away. Get out there and buy them. Nobody is stopping you.
22
It addresses the ever-pressing need of Seattle's "progressives" to demonstrate their Goodness to themselves and especially to everyone else. Won't do a damn thing otherwise, but when has that ever mattered?
24
I was thinking of dropping off a handgun I found in the woods. I don't know where this baby has been ....so I don't want a police problem with it....I read the press release for the program and it seems no ballistics are to be conducted. Then I read some other statements that seem to contradict that assurance. Police seem to say that if gun turns out to be stolen police will do a ballistics and other tests on the gun. Is this buy back just a sly sting? Turns out fingerprints are almost impossible to completely remove. New forensic tests...
25
Suppose that one has a gun picked up from a private party purchase and turns it in at the buyback and it turns out it has a mixed past. King County states they are not doing ballistics, no pictures or other tricky stuff. Then I read that police will run serial numbers and do ballistics on guns that may have questions. What are the facts? Is this a clever sting or is it really a no questions asked buyback? It seems that fingerprints are almost impossible to remove from a gun...new forensics.
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