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February 15, 2008
Editorial
A Crime-Fighting Opportunity
In October, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a smart new law that will help police apprehend violent criminals and deter the gun traffickers who supply them. The measure requires that all new semiautomatic pistols sold in the state starting in 2010 be equipped with technology known as microstamping, which will allow police to quickly match empty bullet casings to the weapon that fired them.
Legislation that would extend that requirement nationwide has just been introduced in both houses of Congress. It deserves full support from lawmakers of both parties, and both sides of the gun control debate.
The microstamping process uses lasers to make microscopic markings on a gun’s firing pin and other internal surfaces, identifying the weapon’s make, model and serial number. When the gun is fired, this information is stamped onto the bullet casing, providing an immediate lead for investigators to pursue when casings ejected from the weapon are found at a crime scene.
Sponsored by Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Representative Xavier Becerra of California, both Democrats, the legislation would not require weapons manufactured before 2010 to be brought back to a gun shop for retrofitting. The measure’s law enforcement value would grow over time, as older guns get replaced with new models equipped with microstamping.
The National Rifle Association, nevertheless, rejected pleas from the law enforcement community and waged a fierce battle to try to defeat the California law. The powerful gun lobby can be expected to fight even harder on Capitol Hill.
Mandating microstamping would not infringe on anyone’s gun ownership rights. What it would do is help police catch violent criminals and make a dent in the large number of unsolved murders. According to statistics compiled by the F.B.I., around 40 percent of all homicides committed each year go unsolved.
Making it easier for police to trace guns used in crimes would also deter straw purchasers who supply gang members and other dangerous individuals unable to pass a background check. It makes good, practical sense to give police this valuable crime-fighting tool.
Editorial
A Crime-Fighting Opportunity
In October, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a smart new law that will help police apprehend violent criminals and deter the gun traffickers who supply them. The measure requires that all new semiautomatic pistols sold in the state starting in 2010 be equipped with technology known as microstamping, which will allow police to quickly match empty bullet casings to the weapon that fired them.
Legislation that would extend that requirement nationwide has just been introduced in both houses of Congress. It deserves full support from lawmakers of both parties, and both sides of the gun control debate.
The microstamping process uses lasers to make microscopic markings on a gun’s firing pin and other internal surfaces, identifying the weapon’s make, model and serial number. When the gun is fired, this information is stamped onto the bullet casing, providing an immediate lead for investigators to pursue when casings ejected from the weapon are found at a crime scene.
Sponsored by Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Representative Xavier Becerra of California, both Democrats, the legislation would not require weapons manufactured before 2010 to be brought back to a gun shop for retrofitting. The measure’s law enforcement value would grow over time, as older guns get replaced with new models equipped with microstamping.
The National Rifle Association, nevertheless, rejected pleas from the law enforcement community and waged a fierce battle to try to defeat the California law. The powerful gun lobby can be expected to fight even harder on Capitol Hill.
Mandating microstamping would not infringe on anyone’s gun ownership rights. What it would do is help police catch violent criminals and make a dent in the large number of unsolved murders. According to statistics compiled by the F.B.I., around 40 percent of all homicides committed each year go unsolved.
Making it easier for police to trace guns used in crimes would also deter straw purchasers who supply gang members and other dangerous individuals unable to pass a background check. It makes good, practical sense to give police this valuable crime-fighting tool.
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