Citation

Mauser GA. J. Firearms Public Policy 2005; 17(1).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Second Amendment Foundation)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In 1995 Canada amended its firearms law to require owner licenses and to create a universal firearm registry. Despite costing at least C$ 1 billion so far, the firearms program has failed to win the trust of the public or the police. This article examines the organizational problems of the firearms program and evaluates its effectiveness in improving public safety. Years after its inception, with virtually unlimited budgets, the firearms registry remains significantly incomplete and contains an unacceptably high number of errors. The most appropriate ways to evaluate public safety are general measures, such as homicide, suicide, or violent crime rates, not gun deaths or gun crime. There is no discernible impact on public safety by the firearm program. It is recommended that efforts be focused on more serious threats to public safety, such as terrorists or violent criminals, not normal citizens who own firearms.