Washington Office shares information on
ballistic "fingerprinting"
Received 10-17-02; posted here on 10-19-02]
WebWeaver's note: It has been striking over
the past few days, as the unknown sharpshooter has continued to kill
random innocent people in the area of our nation's capital, that few
reporters or commentators have so much as breathed a question about
what some kind of rational gun control might have done to prevent such
a killing spree.
Finally a few brave souls have dared to mention the
notion of "ballistic fingerprinting," which would enable law
enforcement departments to trace guns from the marking on bullets
fired in the commission of a crime.
The Washington Office has circulated a series of
answers to common questions about this issue, provided by the
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, a Washington based advocacy group to
which many religious group belong.
Q&A on BALLISTIC
"FINGERPRINTING"
by Mark Pertschuk, Legislative Director, Coalition to
Stop Gun Violence
What is ballistic fingerprinting? Ballistic fingerprinting is
similar to DNA testing, but for guns. It allows police to take a bullet
or cartridge casing from a crime scene and match it up to the exact
weapon it was fired from. In other words, it gives police a lead that
they otherwise would not have had.
Can't criminals just alter the gun? Yes, guns
can be altered, but individual bullets and casings are
"fingerprinted" in several different ways. That means even
altering parts of a gun won't necessarily prevent a match. Ballistic
fingerprinting is about giving police a lead to solve a crime. No one is
suggesting that cops shouldn't dust for prints just because criminals
might wear gloves.
What do you think of the Bush Administration's
comments opposing ballistic fingerprinting? It's funny that the NRA
is laying low and President Bush is out front opposing common sense gun
laws. Usually it's the other way around. We hope the President will put
as much energy tracing weapons at home as he is in tracking down weapons
abroad.
Why is the NRA opposed? The gun lobby's
opposition to ballistic fingerprinting shows their true colors. They say
we should better enforce the law, then oppose a strong measure to do it.
Their lack of concern about effective law enforcement is out of step
with the mainstream views of police, the general public, and most gun
owners.
Isn't this just registration? No. Ballistic
fingerprinting links crime scene evidence to the gun that produced it.
It does not link guns to people. Gun lobby cries of registration are
nothing more than typical paranoia.
Hasn't the California Department of Justice
criticized the effectiveness of ballistic fingerprinting? That
report has been debunked. The fact is, law enforcement supports
ballistic fingerprinting. In fact, the Maryland State Police Association
just recently said their system is a useful crime-fighting tool and
needs to be expanded.
Has legislation been introduced to create a
national ballistic fingerprint database? Yes. Representative Robert
Andrews (D-NJ) has introduced legislation in the House. Senators Kohl
(D-WI), Schumer (D-NY), and Feinstein (D-CA) have introduced similar
legislation, S. 4069.
Mark Pertschuk
Legislative Director
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
1023 15th Street, NW
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20005
202-408-0061, ext. 103
For more information, contact:
Elenora Giddings Ivory,
PC(U.S.A.)Washington Office,
110 Maryland Avenue, NE, #104,
Washington, DC 20002.
202-543-1126, fax 202-543-7755.
Email eivory@ctr.pcusa.org.
