| Show Time for a New Look Many well intentioned lawmakers and others have sought to impose gun control measures on all law law- abiding citizens in the belief that such measures would automatically solve the problem of violent crimes Such measures would not solve the problem But the worst part of this preoccupation with gun controls is that it diverts attention from the real factors factors fac fac- tors involved in effective ineffective crime proven tion The Federal Bureau of Investigation has listed factors affecting crime rates in its publication Uniform Crime Re Re- ports They include such things as density density den den- sity and size of a community's population population lation and the metropolitan area of which it is a part composition of the population population lation with reference to age sex and andrace andrace andrace race economic status and mores of the population educational recreational and religious characteristics and effective strength of the police force There are are many other things listed but nowhere is there mention in the FBI crime factor list of the impact of firearms controls on crime There is good reason f for r this The causes of crime and its control are too complex to respond respond re reo re- re spond to such a simplistic cure It n is time for a new look and a fresh approach to crime control Many of the most intractable problems of crime control control con con- have social cultural educational and economic roots Trial and punishment for criminal action action ac ac- ac tion should be sure and nd reasonably swift Particular penalties should be attached to use of a firearm in the commission of a crime Too many serious and repeated repeated re reo re- re offenders roam the streets Free on bail pending trial or after serving minimal sentences they are at liberty to strike and again-and they often do There are many steps which can be taken taken ta ta- ta ken to control crime but taking guns away from the law-abiding law citizen isn't one of them them Those who say it is are like sticking their heads in the sand to avoid confronting the more difficult difficult dif or frightening aspects of life |
