To have "gun control" or not? To outlaw them or not? This is a debate which has been raging for decades. One side says that guns are the handmaidens of crime and death, and if we could only eliminate them from the public sphere, our crime rates would diminish. The other side says that guns are crucial for honest citizens to defend themselves from criminal predators, and in fact are used for this far more often than by criminals themselves.
One thing that keeps this debate alive and going is the fact that data collected by law enforcement on incidents involving guns is pretty rudimentary. Some minimal data is collected as to whether a gun was used in a crime-- but none is collected on whether a gun was used in self-defense, to hinder or thwart a crime.
I propose to add a series of entries to the standard record that law enforcement agencies use to record crimes for the Uniform Crime Reports. In this way, we could begin to gather data on the entire universe of guns involved in crimes, and settle the argument between the pro's and the con's.
Proposed info to be collected by law enforcement, for submission to the Uniform Crime Reports:
Action with gun:
Gun brandished, no shots fired
Shots fired from gun
Gun action by:
Perpetrator
Target/Victim
Bystander
Result of gun action:
(A) The crime:
Perpetrator apprehended
Perpetrator escaped, crime thwarted
Crime successful, perpetrator apprehended later
Crime successful, perpetrator escaped
(b) The people:
No one hurt
Perpetrator wounded
Target/Victim wounded
Bystander wounded
Perpetrator killed
Target/Victim killed
Bystander killed
Age, race, gender of participants as normally collected for UCR.
Sample lines on the form:
- Was a firearm(s) involved?
(A) If Yes:
i) []Brandished []shots fired BY: []perpetrator(s) []victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
ii) []Brandished []shots fired BY: []perpetrator(s) []victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
iii) []Brandished []shots fired BY: []perpetrator(s) []victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
RESULTING IN: (number)________ []perpetrator(s) apprehended at scene
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) escaped, crime not completed
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) fled, apprehended later
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) apprehended later, crime completed
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) escaped, crime completed
AND: []no injuries
(number)________ perpetrator(s) [] wounded []killed
(number)________ victim/target(s) [] wounded []killed
(number)________ bystander(s) [] wounded []killed
(B) Type and number of firearm(s) involved:
[]Rifle(s), hunting/sport style:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Rifle(s), "assault" style:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Shotgun(s), sport/manual:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Shotgun(s), semiautomatic:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Pistol(s), revolver:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Pistol(s), semiautomatic:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Automatic weapon(s), (make/model)_________________________________:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Other type of firearm(s), (make/model)____________________________:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Some sample fillouts of the form:
Scenario 1: Perpetrator enters a convenience store, shoots the clerk dead, flees with the money.
Form is filled out as:
- Was a firearm(s) involved?
(A) If Yes:
i) []Brandished [X]shots fired BY: [X]perpetrator(s) []victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
ii) []Brandished []shots fired BY: []perpetrator(s) []victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
iii) []Brandished []shots fired BY: []perpetrator(s) []victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
RESULTING IN: (number)________ []perpetrator(s) apprehended at scene
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) escaped, crime not completed
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) fled, apprehended later
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) apprehended later, crime completed
(number)___1____ [X]perpetrator(s) escaped, crime completed
AND: []no injuries
(number)________ perpetrator(s) [] wounded []killed
(number)___1____ victim/target(s) [] wounded [X]killed
(number)________ bystander(s) [] wounded []killed
(B) Type and number of firearm(s) involved:
[]Rifle(s), hunting/sport style:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Rifle(s), "assault" style:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Shotgun(s), sport/manual:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Shotgun(s), semiautomatic:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Pistol(s), revolver:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[X]Pistol(s), semiautomatic:
(number)_1__, by [X]perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Automatic weapon(s), (make/model)_________________________________:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Other type of firearm(s), (make/model)____________________________:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Scenario 2: Perpetrator enters the store, points gun at clerk, who produces a gun from under the counter
and shoots at the perpetrator. Perpetrator shoots back, a brief gunbattle ensues and the clerk is "winged",
the perpetrator flees the scene and is picked up an hour later by the police due to eyewitness descriptions.
- Was a firearm(s) involved?
(A) If Yes:
i) []Brandished [X]shots fired BY: [X]perpetrator(s) [X]victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
ii) []Brandished []shots fired BY: []perpetrator(s) []victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
iii) []Brandished []shots fired BY: []perpetrator(s) []victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
RESULTING IN: (number)________ []perpetrator(s) apprehended at scene
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) escaped, crime not completed
(number)___1____ [X]perpetrator(s) fled, apprehended later
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) apprehended later, crime completed
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) escaped, crime completed
AND: []no injuries
(number)________ perpetrator(s) [] wounded []killed
(number)___1____ victim/target(s) [X] wounded []killed
(number)________ bystander(s) [] wounded []killed
(B) Type and number of firearm(s) involved:
[]Rifle(s), hunting/sport style:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Rifle(s), "assault" style:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Shotgun(s), sport/manual:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Shotgun(s), semiautomatic:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[X]Pistol(s), revolver:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)_1__, by [X]victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[X]Pistol(s), semiautomatic:
(number)_1__, by [X]perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Automatic weapon(s), (make/model)_________________________________:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Other type of firearm(s), (make/model)____________________________:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Scenario 3:
A home invasion burglary, but the homeowner catches the burglars, points their shotgun at them, and they
surrender. The homeowner holds them lying on the living room floor at gunpoint while his wife calls the police,
who arrive and arrest the burglars.
- Was a firearm(s) involved?
(A) If Yes:
i) [X]Brandished []shots fired BY: []perpetrator(s) [X]victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
ii) []Brandished []shots fired BY: []perpetrator(s) []victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
iii) []Brandished []shots fired BY: []perpetrator(s) []victim/target(s) []bystander(s)
RESULTING IN: (number)__3_____ [X]perpetrator(s) apprehended at scene
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) escaped, crime not completed
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) fled, apprehended later
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) apprehended later, crime completed
(number)________ []perpetrator(s) escaped, crime completed
AND: [X]no injuries
(number)________ perpetrator(s) [] wounded []killed
(number)________ victim/target(s) [] wounded []killed
(number)________ bystander(s) [] wounded []killed
(B) Type and number of firearm(s) involved:
[]Rifle(s), hunting/sport style:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Rifle(s), "assault" style:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[X]Shotgun(s), sport/manual:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)_1__, by [X]victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Shotgun(s), semiautomatic:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Pistol(s), revolver:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Pistol(s), semiautomatic:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Automatic weapon(s), (make/model)_________________________________:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
[]Other type of firearm(s), (make/model)____________________________:
(number)____, by []perpetrator(s)
(number)____, by []victim(s)/target(s)
(number)____, by []bystander(s)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -