Editing Gun politics in the United Kingdom

Jump to: navigation, search

Warning: You are not logged in.

Your IP address will be recorded in this page's edit history.
The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision Your text
Line 38: Line 38:
 
Fully [[automatic weapon]]s were almost completely banned from private ownership by the [[1937 Firearms Act]], which took its inspiration from the US 1934 [[National Firearms Act]]. Such weapons are nowadays only available to certain special collectors, museums and prop companies. The 1937 Act also consolidated changes to the 1920 Act that controlled shotguns with barrels shorter than 20". This length was later raised by the 1968 Firearms act to 24".  
 
Fully [[automatic weapon]]s were almost completely banned from private ownership by the [[1937 Firearms Act]], which took its inspiration from the US 1934 [[National Firearms Act]]. Such weapons are nowadays only available to certain special collectors, museums and prop companies. The 1937 Act also consolidated changes to the 1920 Act that controlled shotguns with barrels shorter than 20". This length was later raised by the 1968 Firearms act to 24".  
  
The first control of long-barrelled shotguns began in 1968 with the Criminal Justice and Firearms Act. This required a person to obtain a "Shotgun Certificate" to own any shotgun. The Act did not require the registration of shotguns, only licensing. This act was accompanied by an Amnesty when many older weapons were handed into the police. This has remained a feature of British Policing that following an incident a brief amnesty is declared.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/3704298.stm 2004 Firearms Amnesty]</ref>
+
The first control of long-barrelled shotguns began in 1968 with the Criminal Justice and Firearms Act<ref name="flfb"/>. This required a person to obtain a "Shotgun Certificate" to own any shotgun. The Act did not require the registration of shotguns, only licensing. This act was accompanied by an Amnesty when many older weapons were handed into the police. This has remained a feature of British Policing that following an incident a brief amnesty is declared.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/3704298.stm 2004 Firearms Amnesty]</ref>
  
 
Changes in public attitudes in the 1970s and 1980s changed the basis on which firearms were perceived and understood in British society. Increasingly graphic portrayals of firearms involved in gratuitous acts of violence in the mass media gave rise to concern of the emergence of an aggressive "[[gun culture]]".  A steady rise in violent gun crime in general also became an issue of concern.
 
Changes in public attitudes in the 1970s and 1980s changed the basis on which firearms were perceived and understood in British society. Increasingly graphic portrayals of firearms involved in gratuitous acts of violence in the mass media gave rise to concern of the emergence of an aggressive "[[gun culture]]".  A steady rise in violent gun crime in general also became an issue of concern.
Line 62: Line 62:
  
 
Other results of British "gun control" measures include:
 
Other results of British "gun control" measures include:
* After England initiated a ban on handguns, a 1998 study by the US Department of Justice found that there were 40% more muggings in England, and burglary rates were almost 100% higher than in the United States. And, counter-intuitively, the rate of crimes using handguns is on the rise. In 1999-2000, crimes using handguns were at a seven-year high. Apparently, criminals were easily able to access guns, but law enforcement officers and law-abiding citizens were not allowed.
+
* After England initiated a ban on handguns, a 1998 study by the US Department of Justice found that there were 40% more muggings in England, and burglary rates were almost 100% higher than in the United States. And, counter-intuitively, the rate of crimes using handguns is on the rise. In 1999-2000, crimes using handguns were at a seven-year high. Apparently, criminals were easily able to access guns, but law enforcement officers and law-abiding citizens were not allowed<ref name="SAF"/>.
 
* From 1998 through 2008, firearm-related crime and death rates increased an average of 89% in all police areas in England and Wales.  One part of the country has seen the problem increase almost seven fold, with the Lancashire district seeing a 598% increase<ref>Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor, "[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/6438601/Gun-crime-doubles-in-a-decade.html#at Gun crime doubles in a decade]," ''Telegraph.co.uk,'' 27 Oct 2009</ref>.
 
* From 1998 through 2008, firearm-related crime and death rates increased an average of 89% in all police areas in England and Wales.  One part of the country has seen the problem increase almost seven fold, with the Lancashire district seeing a 598% increase<ref>Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor, "[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/6438601/Gun-crime-doubles-in-a-decade.html#at Gun crime doubles in a decade]," ''Telegraph.co.uk,'' 27 Oct 2009</ref>.
 
* From mid-2008 to mid-2009, the city of London saw a '''20% increase in gun crimes''' and a 20% increase in rapes<ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8309272.stm  Gun crime rises by 17% in London]," BBC News, Thursday, 15 October 2009</ref>
 
* From mid-2008 to mid-2009, the city of London saw a '''20% increase in gun crimes''' and a 20% increase in rapes<ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8309272.stm  Gun crime rises by 17% in London]," BBC News, Thursday, 15 October 2009</ref>
Line 70: Line 70:
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
* [[UK murder statistics]]
+
 
* [[National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom]]
+
*[[National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom]]
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
Line 97: Line 97:
 
* [http://www.basc.org.uk/ British Association for Shooting and Conservation]
 
* [http://www.basc.org.uk/ British Association for Shooting and Conservation]
 
* [http://www.gun-control-network.org/ Gun Control Network]
 
* [http://www.gun-control-network.org/ Gun Control Network]
{{DEFAULTSORT:United Kingdom, gun politics in}}
+
 
[[Category:British gun politics| ]]
+
[[Category:British gun politics]]
 
[[Category:Gun politics]]
 
[[Category:Gun politics]]
[[category:UK| ]]
+
[[category:UK]]

Please note that all contributions to Gunsopedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Gunsopedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!

Cancel | Editing help (opens in new window)

Template used on this page:

Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Toolbox