Marcus Aurelius
02-26-2013, 09:29 AM
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/25/gun-debate-gun-crime-prosecutions-on-decline-amid-call-for-more-laws/
However, recent studies show the Obama administration has not enforced many gun laws already on books -- with gun crime prosecutions hitting a decade low in 2011, down 40 percent from their peak under President George W. Bush in 2004, according to federal data crunched by Syracuse University. The SU study prompted 23 House Republicans on Friday to call on President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to prosecute more people for gun-related crimes.
"It is imprudent to simply call for new laws without examining the efficacy of the current laws," wrote House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. "We must all be looking for ways to prevent senseless acts of violence and the taking of innocent life, but the best place to start would be enforcing the laws that Congress has already enacted."
The Syracuse study found the number of federal weapons prosecutions fell from about 11,000 in 2004 to about 6,000 under the Obama administration in 2011 -- and ticked up to 7,770 in 2012.
Prosecutions for making a false statement when buying a gun are down 29 percent from five years ago, while prosecutions for illegal possession are down 14 percent, according to federal data. Penalties are also light. Data compiled by the U.S. attorney's office shows a third of those charged with gun crimes serve no jail at all, and those who do typically only serve one to four years of a possible 10-year sentence for lying or illegally possessing a firearm.
Hey... I know... Let's just enact more laws we won't bother to enforce! That'll solve the problem!
However, recent studies show the Obama administration has not enforced many gun laws already on books -- with gun crime prosecutions hitting a decade low in 2011, down 40 percent from their peak under President George W. Bush in 2004, according to federal data crunched by Syracuse University. The SU study prompted 23 House Republicans on Friday to call on President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to prosecute more people for gun-related crimes.
"It is imprudent to simply call for new laws without examining the efficacy of the current laws," wrote House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. "We must all be looking for ways to prevent senseless acts of violence and the taking of innocent life, but the best place to start would be enforcing the laws that Congress has already enacted."
The Syracuse study found the number of federal weapons prosecutions fell from about 11,000 in 2004 to about 6,000 under the Obama administration in 2011 -- and ticked up to 7,770 in 2012.
Prosecutions for making a false statement when buying a gun are down 29 percent from five years ago, while prosecutions for illegal possession are down 14 percent, according to federal data. Penalties are also light. Data compiled by the U.S. attorney's office shows a third of those charged with gun crimes serve no jail at all, and those who do typically only serve one to four years of a possible 10-year sentence for lying or illegally possessing a firearm.
Hey... I know... Let's just enact more laws we won't bother to enforce! That'll solve the problem!