Unsecured firearms increase private and public risks of injury and death. Children may find them and shoot themselves or their siblings, (see Daniel Case's diaries, here, and here, or David Waldman's GunFAIL series.) Unsecured guns are easily stolen by criminals, who source a majority of their guns from friends and family. We don't even know how many guns are lost or stolen. Why? Many jurisdictions don't bother to trace all guns that are recovered in crimes.
We largely rely on an honor system. It' up to gun owners own personal ethics and integrity whether or not to report a lost or stolen gun to the police. When embarrassed gun owner Dave Evans left his gun in the bathroom of the Missouri state capitol it was gone when he went back to retrieve it. He asked his staff to notify the police right away. That is what a responsible citizen should do, but in Missouri state law did not require him to do that.
Only eleven states require gun owners to report
lost or stolen guns to the police.
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CT, DE, DC, IL, MD, MA, MI, NJ, NY, OH, RI
New Jersey is the only state that imposes civil liability on gun owners who lose their guns.
What about your state?
Does your state require gun owners to report lost or stolen guns and ammo to the police?
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We have adopted Wee Mama's and akadjian's guidance on communicating. But most important, be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
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Fri Dec 20, 2013 at 8:31 AM PT: Answers to Terminology Matters: A, C, D, E, F are pistols. B is a revolver.