A Clash of Arms: the Great American Gun Debate
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ASH OF AR CAN GUN DEBATE Report bo. 1. 1991 FOREWORD This study was undertaken in response to Senate Concurrent Reso!ution No. 227, S.D. 1, requesting the Legis!ative Reference Bureau to examine the impact of gun control measures, including a firearms ban, on reducing the incidence of violent crime and accidental shootings in Hawaii. The Bureau extends its sincere appreciation to all the individuals and organizations whose cooperation in providing information and assistance in the preparation of this study was invaluable. The Bureau wishes to thank especially those members of the Jaw enforcement community who undertook the task of attempting to estimate the planning and commitment of resources required by law enforcement to implement an effective firearms ban. Special acknowledgement is made to Major James Femia, Honolulu Police Department, for the information and assistance he provided with respect to firearm registration records and ~rocedures. Samuel B. K. Chang Director January 1991 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1 Salient Points of S.C.R. No. 227. S.D. 1 ............................. ...................... 1 Objective of the Study ................................................................................ 2 Scope and Organization of the Report ......................................................... 3 2 . A RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS-FOR WHAT PURPOSE? ........................................ 5 Judicial Interpretations Supreme Court Decisions 3. FIREARMS BANS: ARE THEY EFFECTIVE? ................. .. .............................. 29 Part I. State and Local Laws Part I1 . internat Endnotes ....................... ... ................................................................... 42 4 . IMPACT OF FIREARMS BAN ON LAW ENFORCEMENT.............. ... .............. 47 Summary of Responses From Law Enforcement Agencies ........... .... ........ 47 Letters From Law Enforcement Agencies ............ .. ................................. 52 Endnotes ................................................................................................. 68 iii 5. FEDERAL FIREARMS CONTROL LAW AND RECENT LEGlSLATlON ................. 69 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS..... ... ... ....... , . ........ .. 88 Part I. Summary of Arguments For and Against the Banning of Firearms ...... 88 The Right to Bear Arms Under the Second Amendment ......................... 88 Effect of Gun Control Laws on Reducing Violence and Deaths ............... 88 Crimes of Passion ................................................................................ 96 The Substitution Theory: Knives Versus Long Guns .............................. 97 The Armed Citizen: The Use of Guns for Self-Protection ....................... 98 Is A Firearms Ban Enforceable APPENDICES Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 227, S.D. 1 "List of Assault Weapons Banned from Importation .......................................... 164 "Unsoeld Amendment--Title 22 of the Omnibus Crime Act of 1990" ................... 165 Attitudes Toward Home Safety and the Possession of a Firearm ....................... 170 "TimeiCNN Survey--Americans and Their Guns" Respondents Reporting a Firearm in Their Home Respondents Reporting the Type of Firearm Present in Their Home .................. 773 Attitudes Toward Federal Laws Regulating the Sale and Registration ................ ?74 Attitudes Toward a Law Requiring a Police Permit Prior io Gun Purchase .......... 175 Attitudes Toward the Registration of All Gun Purchases .................................... 176 Attitudes Toward the Registration of All Handguns ........................................... 177 Attitudes Toward Public Policies on Firearm Registration .................................. 178 Attitudes Toward the Severity of Laws Covering the Sale of Firearms ................ 179 "TimeENN Survey-W 180 A?iltudes Toward Fede Possession of Firearm 181 Y. Attitudes Toward Banning the Possession of Handguns Except By the Poiice and Other Authorized Persons ... ........................................................... 182 2. Attitudes Toward Laws Banning the Sale and Possession of Handguns in Own Communit AA. "Assault Weapo BB. "Assault Weapo CC. Fiorida State Storage Bili DD. House Bili No. 2980, Fifte Chapter I INTRODUCTION During the 1990 regular session of the Legislature, over thirty bills were introduced relating to firearms control; many of these proposed some type of ban on firearms. Although few of these bills were given a hearing, the House and Senate responded to :he concerns raised by adopting Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 227. S.D. 1 (hereinafter S.C.R. No. 227, S.D. 1) (see Appendix A), which requested the Legislative Reference Bureau (hereafter the Bureau) to study the impact of a ban on firearms in Hawaii in reducing the incidence of violent crime and accidental shootings. Salient Points of S.C.R. No. 227, S.D. 1 S.C.R. No. 227, S.D. 1, sets forth the following principal assumptions and concerns: The number of violent crimes and accidental injuries and deaths involving the use of firearms in recent years has led to a growing concern that firearms should be banned in the State; Despite Hawaii's stringent firearms registration law, the incidence of violent crimes involving firearms and accidents involving the misuse of firearm remain a problem; Firearms bans proposed during the 1990 regular session were supported primarily by law enforcement agencies and a few private ciiizens who contend that limiting the availability of firearms will help to reduce the incidence of violent crime and of accidental shootings involving misuse of firearms; Opponents of any type of firearms ban came out in force to testify against a ban contending any ban would violate their constitutional right to bear arms for self-protection and to enjoy sporting and recreational activities involving firearms; Many of the estimated 250.000 Hawaii residents who have registered firearms numbering about 400:000 are law-abiding cirizens who should not have their rights unjustly curtailed without compelling reasons; The Senate Judiciary Committee held all bills proposing firearms bans b-wause the evidence presented in support was insufficient to ascertain whether a ban A CL&H OF .4R\15 THE GREAT AUERICAI GUN DEBATE on certain firearms would effectively reduce violent crimes and accidental shootings; and (7) Tne Legislature expressed an obligation to investigate and collect more meaningful and objective information on firearms bans to determine if a ban would be effective in reducing vioient crimes and accidental shootings in Hawaii Objective of the Study S.C.R. 227, S.D. 1. requested the Bureau to srudy a number of rather complex issues. Specifically, the resolution directed that the study include, but not be limited to, the foiiowing: (1) A summary of all the arguments for and against the bann~ngof firearms; (2) An examination of the experiences of other states or countries that have a firearms ban to ascertain (to the exten: !nformation is available) the degree of effectiveness those bans have had in reducing violent firearms crimes and accidental shootings, inciuding a consideration of other factors that may have contributed to any reduction; (3) An analysis regarding the constitutional~tyof a firearms ban, inclucling a review of court challenges made on laws bann~ngfirearms and the status of those cases (4) A description, based upon information provided by law enforcement agencies, of the planning and commitment of resources required of the State and counties in order to implement an effective firearms ban; (5) An examination of any legisiation pending !n the United States Congress to ban firearms; and (6) A summary of existing empirical evidence, lf any, of the effectiveness of banning only a cer:ain category of firearms, or enacting lesser restrictive alternarives in iieu of a ban, on reducing viclent crime and accidental shootings. Scope and Organization of the Report Bureau staff attempted to conduct an in-depth examination of the constitutionality of a firearms ban and of pending federal legislation. The amount of literature on the effectiveness of gun control measures on violent crime rates and accidental shootings is enormous. Most of the empirical evidence available concerns gun control measures less restrictive than a ban. This is because the few firearm bans enacted in the United States are of recent origin; thus empirical research on their effectiveness has yet to be conducted. Bureau staff attempted to review as much of tne literature as possible. Nevertheless, because of the volume of material to review, the amount of research entailed, and the time constraints imposed, no claim is made that the review conducted on this issue was thoroughly comprehensive. The Bureau included only the major issues raised with respect to a firearms ban in the summary of argurxents for and against a ban; minor points or arguments considered facetious have not been included. With respect to the discussion of a firearms ban, it should be noted that the resolution did nor specify what category or categories of firearms should be focused upon in the study, but instead used rhe rather general phrase "firearms ban." Accordingly, much of the discussion in this report of a ban is general in nature, although the Bureau has attempted to discuss bans on specific categories of firearms where it seemed appropriate. Weapons that already are prohibited under iedaiai Oi state law (such as