N.Y. ballistic database firing blanks so far

[Township75]

ALBANY, N.Y. — A database designed to match handguns in New York state to crime scene evidence has not solved a crime more than three years after its debut.

Pataki administration officials cite difficulties local police can face in getting crime scene evidence to Albany, where the database is housed. But state officials say they are close to solving the problem through a deal that would allow inquiries made around New York to piggyback on a federal ballistic network.

SNIP

Walter Rowe, a professor of forensic science at George Washington University, said there are too many ways to get around New York's database. Criminals can buy guns in neighboring states or simply take a file to the gun's breech face, essentially changing the gun's unique "signature."

"If one does a cost benefit analysis, this might not have been a wise way to spend public money," Rowe said.


Full story is here:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2004-06-04-ny-ballistics_x.htm

There are plenty of prodatabase parts to the article too, and more parts to outline its faults in the article.

[Lefty48197]

1. This is great news! It sounds like the federal database is the answer

to this problem, and that they'll have it worked out pretty soon. Sometimes government moves a little too slow, but's always nice when it moves in the right direction, and works to improve the existing systems.

[TexasMexican]

2. How many billions do you suppose that would waste.

and how would that stop criminals from taking a file to the breech face?

Do you want to make that a federal crime too?

[FeebMaster]

3. Maybe they can make

"altering the ballistic signature of a firearm" a crime. Then they'll be able to arrest anyone who fires a gun.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

5. Great idea

Then I will go to jail for swapping a .40 S&W barrel into my Glock 20 for range practice.

Thank goodness I don't live in NY.

[Township75]

4. If it turns out that...

it is not the answer, and that still it leads to no or almost no "hits", do you still support it?

[DoNotRefill]

6. Sure enough....when something is a dismally expensive failure...

on the local level, make it national, so it can be a dismally expensive failure of MUCH larger proportions!!!!!

I wish they'd pass a law making it mandatory for everybody in the country to be forced to buy a Ford Edsel.... ;)