The Banned Guns and Magazines Were Used in Up to A Quarter of Gun Crimes
Prior to the Ban
• AWs were used in only a small fraction of gun crimes prior to the ban: about 2%
according to most studies and no more than 8%. Most of the AWs used in crime
are assault pistols rather than assault rifles.
• LCMs are used in crime much more often than AWs and accounted for 14% to
26% of guns used in crime prior to the ban.
• AWs and other guns equipped with LCMs tend to account for a higher share of
guns used in murders of police and mass public shootings, though such incidents
are very rare.
The Ban’s Success in Reducing Criminal Use of the Banned Guns and Magazines
Has Been Mixed
• Following implementation of the ban, the share of gun crimes involving AWs
declined by 17% to 72% across the localities examined for this study (Baltimore,
Miami, Milwaukee, Boston, St. Louis, and Anchorage), based on data covering all
or portions of the 1995-2003 post-ban period. This is consistent with patterns
found in national data on guns recovered by police and reported to ATF.
• The decline in the use of AWs has been due primarily to a reduction in the use of
assault pistols (APs), which are used in crime more commonly than assault rifles
(ARs). There has not been a clear decline in the use of ARs, though assessments
are complicated by the rarity of crimes with these weapons and by substitution of
post-ban rifles that are very similar to the banned AR models.
• However, the decline in AW use was offset throughout at least the late 1990s by
steady or rising use of other guns equipped with LCMs in jurisdictions studied
(Baltimore, Milwaukee, Louisville, and Anchorage). The failure to reduce LCM
use has likely been due to the immense stock of exempted pre-ban magazines,
which has been enhanced by recent imports.
It is Premature to Make Definitive Assessments of the Ban’s Impact on Gun Crime
• Because the ban has not yet reduced the use of LCMs in crime, we cannot clearly
credit the ban with any of the nation’s recent drop in gun violence. However, the
ban’s exemption of millions of pre-ban AWs and LCMs ensured that the effects of the law would occur only gradually. Those effects are still unfolding and may
not be fully felt for several years into the future, particularly if foreign, pre-ban
LCMs continue to be imported into the U.S. in large numbers.
"Exemptions" like existing magazines beng grandfathered.It would seem that the largest effect of the ban was seen due to restritions on weapons with Large Capacity Magazines, and that exemptions greatly reduced its effectiveness.
The DOJ report uses terms like:but from the DOJ report I would have to conclude that the AWB was effective, and would have been much more effective had it been stronger.
"Exemptions" like existing magazines beng grandfathered.
Do you suppose that will change?
The DOJ report uses terms like:
-The Ban’s Success in Reducing Criminal Use of the Banned Guns and Magazines Has Been Mixed
-It is Premature to Make Definitive Assessments of the Ban’s Impact on Gun Crime
-we cannot clearly credit the ban with any of the nation’s recent drop in gun violence.
Given that, how do you support the position that the AWB was effective?
Following implementation of the ban, the share of gun crimes involving AWs
declined by 17% to 72% across the localities examined for this study
However, the decline in AW use was offset throughout at least the late 1990s by
steady or rising use of other guns equipped with LCMs in jurisdictions studied
(Baltimore, Milwaukee, Louisville, and Anchorage). The failure to reduce LCM
use has likely been due to the immense stock of exempted pre-ban magazines,
which has been enhanced by recent imports.
Because the ban has not yet reduced the use of LCMs in crime, we cannot clearly credit the ban with any of the nation’s recent drop in gun violence.
-What positive effect did the 1994-2004 AWB have on crime?
-If you cannot specify a verifiable positive effect, then why do you support another ban?
Not in the least. I think most of the restrictions against guns should be lifted (like not being able to own fully automatics, etc).
Crime in the large US cities have gone down since the ban..
Assault weapons in cities is just something you do not need.. On the countryside/rural areas I support them. It should be banned in some states.
You think anyone without a felony conviction should be able to own fully automatic weapons? In any states? In urban areas? With no restrictions, such as "only former military or police personnel"..
Fully automatic weapons should be completely legal. And any criminal who has finished the full of their punishment (including probation) should have the full of their rights recognized.
Following implementation of the ban, the share of gun crimes involving AWs
declined by 17% to 72% across the localities examined for this study
I guess thats what I think it should be in the US as well.
I voted no, I will wait for some of the Obama supporters to state why they do support it before I answer.
I'm an Obama supporter but I absolutely disagree with a new assault weapons ban.
You're not excused, you are very much on the hook.
We knew gun control was an issue Obama was going to press. It was a core issue which lead Conservative to oppose Obama, in fact.
By voting for Obama, you voted for gun control, so please spar us the hyperbole about how you suddenly care about Constitutional rights. You don’t because you support Obama, and Obama hates the Constitution and everything it stands for. He proves such every day, from socialized healthcare to supporting forced abortion.
Obama hates the Constitution and everything it stands for. He proves such every day, from socialized healthcare to supporting forced abortion.
Forced abortion
Back in '04 the DOJ wrote a report about the AWB's effects
Source [National Criminal Justice Reference Service | Updated Assessment of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban: Impacts on Gun Markets and Gun Violence, 1994-2003] (PDF)
It would seem that the largest effect of the ban was seen due to restritions on weapons with Large Capacity Magazines, and that exemptions greatly reduced its effectiveness. I don't have a strong opinion about the AWB (I really don't see anything negative about banning assault weapons), and am generally against gun control, but from the DOJ report I would have to conclude that the AWB was effective, and would have been much more effective had it been stronger.
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