Would harsh mandatory minimum sentences for gun related accidents/crimes be a better approach?

[tenderfoot]

Like they did with marijuana back in the 1980s. Get caught with a seed stuck on the floor of your car - ten years no exceptions.

Misfire your gun by accident - 6 months - 3 years
Illegal possession - 5+ years
Accidental deaths - 5-15 years
Use a gun to commit crimes even if you didn't fire - 25 years

yada yada

I do think most gun owners/enthusiasts/collectors are responsible but something needs to be done about those who aren't.

Just an idea.

Your thoughts? Please no flaming.

[pandr32]

1. Certainly worthy of discussion

[Elessar Zappa]

2. I like those ideas.

It would be a start, that’s for sure. We can’t continue with the inaction.

[lagomorph777]

3. There's a fair amount of that on the books already. Kooks don't care.

It has to be impossible to get assault weapons. I should also be impossible to get anything else, without serious universal background checks.

[speak easy]

4. Mandatory minimum sentences are corrupt.

[tenderfoot]

6. True

eom

[dutch777]

5. It couldn't hurt but I think so many of these mass killers don't care about consequences

It would be ridiculously easy with the large capacity assault rifles to go anywhere there are groups of people and kill a dozen of them in less than two minutes and walk away and possibly get away if you planned it right. Not rocket science, just cold blooded calculation. But these folks don't flee usually, they know the cops are coming and whether their sick intent is martyrdom, suicide by cop or whatever, they don't seem worried, at the time, of ending up in jail and on death row or just dead.

[alwaysinasnit]

7. Why don't we just require gun owners to carry insurance on every gun they own, and require that

gun sellers cannot sell/transfer guns without a policy commitment in place? This is similar to requiring people to carry insurance on their vehicles. It won't stop all shootings but it will greatly dis-incentivize gun ownership and, at the very least, provide a bit of compensation to the victims of the shootings. The policies might be written to have higher premiums for people who don't pass background checks, or have prior criminal history involving weapons and/or violence. Just a thought or two.

[ripcord]

9. Insurance companies wouldn't issue the policies

[alwaysinasnit]

10. You're probably right. Too damn many gun nuts.

[fescuerescue]

24. nah. insurance companies love to write policies

and since the NRA is the biggest issuer of gun liability policies, the NRA would be all over that law.

would make them far far richer than they are now.

[ripcord]

25. But the NRA insurance doesn't cover illegal acts comitted with firearms

Their insurance specifically covers only costs to defend civil suits and reimbursement for criminal case legal fees after you are acquitted of charges, along with insuring the guns against loss.

[hack89]

12. Why would it dis-incentivize gun ownership?

It will be dirt cheap because it won’t pay out for crimes, only accidents. Those victims won’t get a penny.

Furthermore, how do you get people carrying guns illegally to get insurance? If they are willing to commit violent crimes then do you think not getting insurance will stop them?

People will buy guns through private sales and not go through dealers.

[alwaysinasnit]

14. Perhaps using a gun purchased illegally could come with enhanced criminal penalties. And I agree

that this won't stop all shootings, but if you put pressure on gun sellers by making them peripherally liable, the gun sellers might be a bit more careful who they sell guns to. Just a thought.

[fescuerescue]

23. the NRA would LOVE that

since they are the biggest sellers of gun insurance in the world.

Requiring everyone to have gun insurance would super-charge their coffers.

[ripcord]

8. The problem is that many gun crimes are plea bargained down

The gun charge are many time dropped for a lesser crimes.

The new Los Angeles County D.A. is under fire from progressives and conservatives because part of his new policy is not to file any kind sentencing enhancement, that includes hate crime and domestic violence along with firearms sentencing enhancements.

[Caliman73]

11. Mandatory minimum sentences have not worked well with regards to drugs.

I don't think that they would do well with regards to firearms. As another response stated, a lot of times, gun charges are reduced. Also, because of the obvious bias in the legal system, mandatories often hurt people of color disproportionately.

I think a proactive approach like licensing would work better. License to buy, license to possess and you have to renew so that if you have an criminal offenses (violent or serious to the safety of the community) you could lose the firearms.

[Hoyt]

13. Gunners would sure oppose. Most of them know they could be the next George Zimmerman, dad

who leaves his gun lying around for the kids to stick in their mouths, Robert Long, some cowboy who screws up and shoots the clerk in the head rather than the robber, etc.

[Dr. Strange]

15. Careful what you wish for.

Just like the drug war, the consequences are going to be heavily felt in minority communities.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1014119194

[doc03]

16. The real mass murder people want to die anyway. If

the cops don't take them out they shoot themselves. How do you deal with that other than keeping them from getting guns somehow?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

17. Increased policing and carceral "solutions" will only compound the problem as well as

increase surveillance, harassment and policing of marginalized communities.

[Zeitghost]

18. We have/had those here in CA

10-20-Life, firearms enhancements, etc. have all been gutted.

[SYFROYH]

19. Jail time isn't going to deter criminals or accidents.

It might make people feel better for the revenge/justice factor.

As a general rule the massive jailing for blow and weed was a massive mistake and will be used against people of color disproportionately.

[Shermann]

20. The misfiring of guns is quite common actually nt

[fescuerescue]

22. There's more than a few videos of cops, FBI and ATF agents doing that

on youtube.

[fescuerescue]

21. harsher penalties for accidents generally don't prevent accidents

since they are accidents that no one planned to commit. Cause you know....it was an accident.

But as to the rest. Yea.


Lets get the weed inmates out and make room for real criminals.

[roamer65]

26. I disagree with mandatory sentences in accidental cases.

A jury should decide whether punishment is appropriate in those cases.

[lindysalsagal]

27. Not a deterrent. Gunz aren't rational.