Virginia Firearms Control Successes

[Superfly]

This is from the state that started Project Exile (now other programs modeled after it in various other states, including Project Safe Neighborhoods) under the Clinton Administration:
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<snip>

Legislators planning to give Virginia more gun laws should consider these facts. In numbers of federal firearm prosecutions in the fiscal years 2000 through 2002, Virginia stood:

- second highest among the states in prosecutions of felons and fugitives possessing, using, or carrying a gun during a federal crime
- second in prosecution of stolen firearms
- second in prosecution of possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number
- third in prosecution of possession of a firearm in a school zone
- 10th in prosecution of lying on a background check form
- 12th in prosecution of illegal gun trafficking.

<snip>

And here is a chart depicting the decrease in gun violence as a result of these prosecutions:



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But, as some who post here would have you believe, the ONLY reason programs like this exist is to pad federal statistics and make Ashcroft look good.

edited to add emphasis to the first "prosecution"

[Superfly]

1. Kick...

because there is one DU poster I really want to respond to this thread.

[slackmaster]

2. Is there an analysis of the costs associated with this program?

I'd like to see the numbers crunched to show how manny dollars were spent per life saved, if indeed the drop in homicides is statistically significant and clearly attributable to the emphasis on prosecution of existing gun laws.

[Superfly]

3. Here's a blurb on Project Exile

link

[slackmaster]

5. AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! MY EYES! MY EYES!

That's the SECOND WORST combination of gradiant background color, font color, and font I have ever seen.

It's especially bad with a bright blue sky visible through a window behind my monitor.

[Superfly]

6. I know, I know...

It's painful to look at....

[Romulus]

4. no causation evidence, but

1997 was the year VA went to the fair-issue CCW system, was it not? :evilgrin:

[MrBenchley]

7. Jeepers, wonder why there's no link?

It couldn't be because the chart is on THIS page....

http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/summaries/reader/0,2061,566431,00.html

Which also says THIS:

"These results suggest that previous claims that Project Exile has reduced homicide rates by 30 to 40 percent have exaggerated the program's success. One potential concern with the analysis is the possibility that unmeasured factors independent of Project Exile, and unique to Richmond, were driving crime trends. Such unmeasured factors might include policing practices, the age structure of the city's population, and other factors thought likely to influence homicide rates. To address this concern, we compare trends in adult and juvenile crimes within Richmond.
In this analysis, juveniles serve as a sort of control group; unlike adults, juveniles are not subject to the federal penalties under Project Exile, yet like adults they experience the same conditions that are unique to Richmond. In theory, the program effects should be concentrated among adults, and one should see a decline in adult arrests compared to juveniles. In fact, we find that adult homicide arrests increased relative to juveniles in Richmond. In this regard, three hypotheses are often advanced to link the decline in gun homicides observed during the 1990s to the increases observed prior to that point. First, if the introduction of crack cocaine sparked the increase in violence in the 1980s and early 1990s, declines in the drug's use would lead to less violence. Second, declines in homicide owing to rising incarceration rates may disproportionately affect cities with high crime rates. Finally, homicide victims may themselves be among the population of potential perpetrators. At any rate, while the precise dynamics remain unclear, the fact remains that most of the decline in gun homicides witnessed in Richmond following the implementation of Project Exile probably would have occurred even without the program. "

http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/summaries/reader/0,2061,566431,00.html

The crap about what "Legislators planning to give Virginia more gun laws" ought to do doesn't appear on that page...and I'd be surprised if it appears on that website at all given THIS:

"State budget cuts are threatening the future of Virginia's pioneering anti-gun Project Exile, but the governor's office is looking for ways to save the program, the Washington Times reported March 23 and the Associated Press reported March 26.
All $2.5 million in state funding for the project -- which seeks to increase federal prosecution of gun offenses -- was eliminated from the state budget by the General Assembly. But both the governor's press secretary and the state's public-safety chief say they are hopeful the money can be restored.
Without the state money, local governments would have to ante up funds to keep the project going. Experts say that's unlikely to happen. "

http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/funding/reader/0,2061,549473,00.html

and this:

"Not everyone thinks that Virginia's Project Exile program is successful in addressing gun crime, the Virginian Pilot reported Feb. 5."

http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/summaries/reader/0,2061,266079,00.html

And THIS:

"Washington, DC - Gun violence prevention advocates declared victory last night in state legislative races in Virginia, where candidates supporting sensible gun laws won big. Delegates-elect Steve Shannon and Mark Sickles will hold seats formerly held by gun lobby-backed officials.
In addition, State House candidates James Dillard, Kristen Amundson, and Adam Ebbin, and State Senate candidates Janet Howell and Toddy Puller all won their races. Many faced challengers who sided with the gun lobby.
"Northern Virginia voters came to the polls yesterday and said 'enough is enough'," said Joshua Horwitz, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. "Voters want their representatives in Richmond to enhance public safety by closing the gun show loophole. They don't want so-called moderates in the pocket of the extremist gun lobby." "

http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/alerts/reader/0,2061,567530,00.html

But at least we know now why there's no link.

[alwynsw]

8. Step away from the mouse and read your browser help page

then right click on the image for the link. Why type or paste simply to repeat the information that's already there?