Bearing in mind I wasn't specifically talking to you when I made the comment, don't you think it is amusing that, on the single day the president draws bobbies away from their posts, muggings rose 20%? From the oh-so-civilized people of the Great Island Nation? That suggests a criminal element just waiting for the opportunity.
Yes Britain has a criminal element, every bit as much as America. It's lazs and other gun advocates who suggest otherwise. Britain actually has higher crime rates than America.
Now that makes me wonder... since most gun crime in America is done by, of course, criminals, and then with unregistered handguns, what's to stop Brits from getting guns?
The fact that before getting a criminal record, they can't go out and buy one from a shop. Even after getting a criminal record, they can't buy one from a gun show, or a classified ad, or get a friend to buy one for them, or steal one in a house break-in, or buy one from a fence who has bought one from a robber who stole it in a house break-in. They can't go to Tesco to buy ammo either.
A US department of Justice reports notes that around 300,000 guns are stolen each year in America. (53% of them handguns)
Of State prison inmates, 10% stole the gun they were caught with themselves, 14% bought it from a shop or gun show, 40% got one from family or friends, 40% got it from a fence or other illegal source.
Because it is against the law?
No, criminals break laws, otherwise they wouldn't be criminals.
No, it must be because a mugger knows if he is caught mugging someone without using a gun he'll probably walk.
90% of people convicted of robbery in the UK recieve a custodial sentence.
The sentencing guidelines up to this summer were:
robbery with violence in the home: 10 to 12 years if pleading guilty, higher for a not guilty plea or as especialy violent act.
Street robbery or mugging: 18 months to 3 years if pleading guilty, and no violence or weapon used, 2 - 4 years if pleading not guilty, robberies involving a weapon, 3 to 6 years.
There is a note that they would like to see lower guidelines for "bag snatching" type crimes, where no violence or threat of violence is used.
For those under 17, community service is the most common punishment, unless there is much violence involved. Bear in mind, though, that if serious injuries are caused, then they may be convicted of more serious offences, such as attempted murder.
The relatively low-risk easy pickings make getting a black market gun unnecessary.
There's certainly some truth in that. Criminals who think they are going to face an armed victim are going to want a gun themselves. Of course, that merely ratchets up the level of violence. Just because the victim is armed doesn't mean he's going to win any fight with a criminal. The victim will usually be unsuspecting until the offence occurs, the criminal will of course initiate the encounter.
If a guy breaks into your house, you guys cannot legally use force to protect yourselves, right? I mean, if you DID have a gun, and you DID shoot the guy, you'd be up on murder charges, right?
You can use any level of force to protect yourself, your family, or any other person around.
You can also use any level of force required to restrain a criminal, or stop him stealing or damaging your property. You cannot punish a criminal yourself, or shoot someone running away, even if he's got your car radio.
