Monday, December 7, 2009

And Bring Your Gun


It's Christmas time and the Cumberland County leaders aren't actually giving gifts but they do want to make a trade.
The plan is food for guns, hoping to attack two problems at once: guns and hunger, in New Jersey's poorest county.
This plan isn't something new, but, there are hopes that the exchange could take some guns off the streets.
"I think they help us in an indirect way," said Cumberland County Sheriff Bob Austino.
"The gang bangers in the street we know are not going to come in and hand their guns in. What you're encouraging people to bring is their unused guns that could fall into the wrong hands if stolen."
Police don't  think a potential criminal can be convinced to turn in a gun for something to eat, but the trade-ins would limit the number of guns that could potentially be stolen.
"Many times we find that people don't know how to dispose of guns," County Prosecutor Ron Casella said. "We've always felt that they're helpful because there's a trafficking of guns going on where guns are stolen from law-abiding citizens."
With regards to the program police say: "they really work good when you know there's going to be immunity from prosecution." Most of the violence is not done with registered guns. It's done with illegal guns."
While there is no real proof that these programs reduce crime, gun buybacks may be more helpful   if handguns in particular were the focus, because they are very popular with criminals.
However, all types of guns are welcomed at this trade-in.