Despite record numbers of firearm purchases over the past three months, a global pandemic, and civil unrest, news reports suggest that violent crime is down.
Naturally, gun control advocates are taking advantage of the ongoing pandemic and the current protests to call for more of their pet priorities. We know that none of these will help prevent crime. The prescriptions needed for real reform to address the underlying social problems aren’t found in public health journals. They are found in criminal justice research.
For the past year, following President Donald Trump’s signing of the FIRST STEP Act, a criminal justice reform law, a diverse task force, led by former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, has been hard at work examining evidence-based actions the federal government can take to advance reform.
The Council on Criminal Justice has just released an Independent Task Force Report called, “Next Steps: An Agenda for Federal Action on Safety and Justice.” This report includes 15 top recommendations for federal action on criminal justice. A far cry from the ineffective wish list of gun control activists, the bold recommendations span everything from streamlining the criminal code to expanding education in prisons and targeting high-violence cities with evidence-based strategies.
Real Solutions
As the firearm and ammunition industry, we aren’t experts in reforming the criminal justice system. But we support the efforts of this task force and other groups that put forward evidence-based recommendations, not politically motivated proposals that would do nothing to address the deep-rooted problems in our society.
What we can do is to continue our efforts to promote Real Solutions. Rather than focusing on sound bites and political divisions, we’ve taken the lead in getting our FixNICS program signed into law in Congress and 16 states, increasing the disqualifying background checks from 1.7 million to 5.3 million since 2012, a 220-percent increase. It is the firearms industry that leads with Project ChildSafe, passing out 38 million free gun locks.
We’ve partnered with the largest suicide prevention group in the country to provide gun ranges and retailers the resources to intervene before a moment of crisis. We’ve led on preventing straw purchases with our Don’t Lie for the Other Guy campaign.
We do this because we are committed to ensuring guns remain out of the hands of those who shouldn’t possess them. Blaming guns for the senseless actions of criminals is counterproductive. We know the answers require much more. This is hard work. It takes committed leadership. We’re not afraid of the challenge and invite any of those who genuinely want to work toward answers that will save lives and respect the rights to join us.
Elizabeth McGuigan is Director of Legislative and Policy Research at the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
Think that horse has left the barn, eh? Thanks to liberal policies, more guns been sold since a dem was in the White House!
“we’ve taken the lead in getting our FixNICS program signed into law in Congress and 16 states”
I feel so much safer now that my government has expanding an anti rights government program.
Sick of this Utopian nonsense. It does not work it never will. You don’t care about real solutions because you don’t want real solutions.
The only real solution is keeping violent offenders locked up and getting rid of gun control Not adding you freaking anti gun group. You are a disgrace.
NSSF is a bunch of tyranny lovers.
You’ll probably never get more consensus among the readers of this site on anything else. I would venture to say the vast majority of us agree with you and Haz on this.
I would have stated that the NICS be abolished and replaced with Constitutional Carry in all 50 states. Always defer to the Constitution !
The article lost me at “…we’ve taken the lead in getting our FixNICS program signed into law…”
Background checks are unconstitutional, period. They turn anyone who wishes to exercise their right to purchase a gun (where BGCs are applicable) into a potential criminal who must prove his/her innocence. The complete opposite the system our Founders created in which someone is by default considered innocent, and the State must prove guilt of a specific crime beyond any reasonable doubt.
NSSF is bullhorning their participation in the “improvements” to the system that stops you from exercising your right and forces you to prove your innocence before proceeding.
Color me underwhelmed at their statement. Almost stopped reading at NSSF. Great thing indeed that they’re working to abrogate more citizens civil rights. Great enough, that I solidly consider them the enemy within.
Them and the nra.
Affirm.
the Democrats are in Nirvana over looting, violence, Anti cop, Anti trump, Anti Constitution, because of the control they get from the chaos they have caused! and destruction of our choices by dependency on Government do as I say or I take you money away!
MEH…I’m not giving up anything. The po-leece can’t or won’t stop unarmed Black Lies Blather idiot’s. Or Bundy Ranch. Or Lansing,MICH good guy’s with guns. And I’m TIRED off this BS!
Welcome to my world. I’ve been tired of this sh!t for a very long time. Something’s going to give someday and it’s looking like that day may be coming soon.
I don’t think there will be mass gun confiscation, now or ever. There might not be much left of large urban areas even.
As all gun control laws are un Constitutional to start with.
Every time Gun Control Zealots say something the 2A people grab mops and run to clean up the mess. It should be 2A people sitting back and asking sleazy Gun Control Zealots to justify their Racist and Nazi Based Gun Control Agenda.
+1
That’s right we have the Constitution on our side, the supreme law of this country. Why are we always playing defense? We need to be the side that says FU to the rat bastards and their un-Constitunal crap.
Debbie W said it well
Have some of these learned individuals actually realized the 2 + 2 = 4, no kidding, they really do
How about erase all the laws & use the Constitution! Then take all the Dems for a long leaky ship ride with no pumps in shark infested waters…..done.Sharks gotta eat too….or spit too….