A 2014 Massachusetts Gun Law Has Had Little Effect - Granite Grok

A 2014 Massachusetts Gun Law Has Had Little Effect

Gun-Ban Style Michael Ramirez at Townhall.com
Gun-Ban Style- Michael Ramirez at Townhall.com

A recent study required as part of a sweeping Massachusetts gun law passed in 2014 shows that more gun laws made absolutely no difference when it came to “gun violence,” see also – people who don’t follow the old law won’t follow the new one.

An impressive, wide-ranging gun reform law, passed in 2014, has not reduced gun violence and gun crime at all in Massachusetts. The annual number of firearm-related crimes, homicides, suicides, and prosecutions appears unaffected so far, according to a new report required by the law itself. 

Not to worry, say the experts. It’s too soon. Just give it time.

That’s not really surprising, and shouldn’t be alarming, says David Hemenway, professor of health policy at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Massachusetts is already one of the safest states in terms of gun violence, and the advances in the new law may take time to show their effect.  

 “There shouldn’t be anything spectacular” in the data, says Hemenway. “There are a lot of things in this law, and it’s going to improve public safety over time.”

Is that what you say when you are part of the task force that helped craft the legislation because Hemenway was.

The long-term effects might not materialize if officials, seeing no clear short-term payoff, don’t bother implementing and enforcing the provisions.

So now it might not work because the government isn’t doing it right.

The part about the government not doing it right, I am willing to believe.

 

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