They Don't Reduce Crime

As is noted in the linked article, gun buybacks get many headlines, but do NOTHING to reduce crime. In fact, they give the "bad guys" an opportunity to get money to buy NEW guns, by turning over old, unreliable guns to get money to buy new ones that are reliable to use in their crimes. They steal cheap guns, then sell them to the cops (or whatever gullible people are running the buyback). The cops get nice pictures of piles of guns, most of them inoperable, for the local papers, and crime continues, unabated. The cops pat themselves on the back and congratulate themselves on "getting x number of guns off the street." Meanwhile, the crooks use the money THEY provided to get new guns. They have to know this, but it doesn't even slow them down in their quest to disarm the law-abiding. The "authorities" admit it makes no difference, but it's an "easy thing to do" and the public demands it. Not a good reason to waste time, money, and effort, but they do it, anyway. (The Buffalo News)