April 23, 2008

*********For Immediate Release*********

Gun Owners’ Action League

37 Pierce Street  Northborough, MA 01532

Contact Information: Jim Wallace, Executive Director 508-393-5333

A Decade of Disaster – The Results of the Gun Control Act of 1998

2008 marks the ten year anniversary of the passage of Chapter 180 of the Acts of 1998, otherwise known as the Gun Control Act of 1998. Thousands of constituent complaints have poured into the Stat House regarding licensing delays, unfair denials, illegal overcharging of license fees, illegal application procedures, etc. If this were not enough, now what we have all feared the most has come true.

According to a July 2002 House Post Audit and Oversight Committee report on firearm license numbers, prior to Chapter 180 there were approximately 1,500,000 licensed gun owners in the Commonwealth. Because of the overreaching persecutorial laws and the expense of a license ($100.00), this number has been reduced to approximately 240,000. While some special interest groups might foolishly applaud this reduction in lawful gun owners, no rational person can rejoice in the coinciding drastic increase in crime.

In 1994 the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) began tracking gun related assault injuries and deaths in several categories and in two different reporting systems. The two systems are The WRISS Report (Weapon Related Injury Surveillance System) and the ISP (Injury Surveillance Program). Reports from these two systems can be found at http://www.mass.gov/dph/pubstats.htm.

According to the State’s reporting systems in the four years prior to the passage of Chapter 180, during that time there were 1,500,000 licensed gun owners, the following results were reported:

·         The WRISS Report released by the MDPH in March of 2007 reflected a 57% DECREASE in firearm related assaults in the four years prior to the 1998 laws.

·         ISP reports from 1994 to 1997 reflected a 50% DECREASE in homicide related firearm deaths prior to the 1998 laws taking affect.

Unfortunately for the citizens of the Commonwealth, this trend ended abruptly upon the passage of Chapter 180.

In the decade to follow as the number of lawfully licensed gun owners declined by over 80%, however the instances of gun related criminal acts of assaults and homicides increased drastically. (The following numbers are taken from the most up to date reporting category in each reporting system. Certain categories were not initiated until after 1998 and those are reflected in the bullet points below.)

·         The WRISS Report released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in March of 2007 shows a 78% INCREASE in firearm related assaults since 1998.

·         ISP reports from 1998 to 2006 show a 67% INCREASE in homicide related firearm deaths since 1998.

·         ISP reports from 1998 to 2006 show a 236% INCREASE in assault related firearm hospital discharges since 1998.

·         ISP reports from 1999 to 2006 show a 331% INCREASE in assault related emergency room visits since 1999.

·         ISP reports from 2001 to 2006 (the most recent report available) show a 590% INCREASE in assault outpatient observations since 2001.

Even with this overwhelming evidence, there are some that choose to ignore the facts and blame our neighboring states and their laws that support a strong civil rights Second Amendment view. Once again, these people would be ignoring the facts.

On March 14, 2008 the CQPress released its 15^th Annual Safest State Awards (Found at: http://www.cqpress.com/product/Crime-State-Rankings-2008.html.) In this publication New Hampshire was pronounced the safest state to live in the nation. Maine ranked 2^nd, Vermont 4^th, Connecticut 11^th, Rhode Island 12^th and sadly, Massachusetts ranked a dismal 22^nd.

These facts clearly demonstrate inarguably that the Gun Control Act of 1998 has become one of the greatest civil rights and public safety disasters of modern politics. The wrongful persecution of lawful citizens and the utter lack of any rational policies in fighting the real criminal element have led us to a Decade of Disaster! It is our hope that the Commonwealth will now realize what a great mistake it was to target lawful gun owners in 1998 and work towards reforming what have become to be known as the “Worst in the Nation Gun Laws”.