I believe the program would be a great idea being that the economy is in a bad state at the moment and people will trade in guns for the money, the only problem is the guns that have actually been used to harm or kill people will be traced back to that person and could possibly cause the program to still remain ineffective.

There are studies that say buybacks don't work, that money handed out is used to buy more guns, that up to 25% of returned guns aren't even operational... so what? If a large corporation wants to sponsor a buyback and give out $200 gift cards for getting unused guns out of closets and shoeboxes and attics, why not? It doesn't cost taxpayers much, and if it prevents a couple of the hundreds of children accidentally killed by guns each year then go for it. If it doesn't, it can't hurt, and in conjunction with more education and more enforcement it could start to make a difference.

Mark.

the gun buy back programs have had little or no success in any city. the hardened criminals will not turn over their guns for $250. It's another feel good liberal program.

I cannot believe I'm saying this but I agree with Greenville. when I went through the gun permit process in Jersey City it took me 10 weeks and intense screening before I received my permit.

The gun store also had to verify all the info from the State police and FBI background check.

I have no problem with the process its just that background checks take 30 minutes max not 10 weeks.

I was surpised that I wasn't made to take a mandatory gun safety course. I took the course anyway to make sure I don't shoot myself on the foot.

It would make sense to allow citizens to carry concealed if they passed a series of stringent tests.

We do have a gun buy back program already, but it has not worked. What needs to be done is a big crackdown on gun traffickers. Also the city needs to reduce the amount of time that it takes for a law abiding citizen to get gun because most criminals do not buy their guns legitimately.

No.

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wow, amazing response!

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I agree strongly with this statement. But I also agree that there is more that needs to be done.

Amen.

You need to have a liscence to get a dog, but any tramp can have a kid. If you apply for welfare, you should have to be evaluated and subject to possible sterilization. Instead, people look at welfare as an income source....the more kids you have the more money you get. Then in 18 years, those kids are now running around being non-productive members of society

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The best idea for this problem (violent crime in general), although it might take awhile to see the efforts is a program to offer compensation for men and women to get vasectomies and hysteroctomies.

A gun buy back program is a nice idea, and it would probably help to some extent, but it will not solve the current problem by any means.

People who turn in a gun for a couple hundred bucks were probably not really "planning" to use it (not on a regular basis, anyway).

The people who use their illegal guns for "protection" (from the authorities), intimidation, and gang banging on a regular basis will never turn in a gun for any reason. Having the gun helps "insure" them thousands upon thousands of dollars in illegal renenue, and that's what it's all really about. Those are the guns that need to be removed more urgently. Those are the guns that get used more frequently, in my opinion.

Would a gun buy back program be a good thing? Yeah, probably.

Would it really solve anything? Not much, in my opinion.

Do I have a better idea for a solution? Nope. Those who are in are in. IMO the key is early intervention and programs that give young kids viable alternatives to joining a gang to begin with. I know 10 year olds who are well versed in local gang related issues. It's sad and downright frightening at the same time. And I know that won't solve the problem, either. I think that there are probably many concepts that need to come together in order to make a real dent.

In 2006 Healy launched Operation Lifesaver, a gun buy back & amnesty program, which removed 897 weapons from the streets of Jersey City. There was a thread on here about it but it seems MIA.

Maybe in this economy it would be a good time to have launch another gun buy back program. If Mayor Healy does another, I hope he can get Mayor Booker in Newark to also go along.

I saw on the news that a gun buy program in Brooklyn resulted in 427 guns being turned in yesterday alone. Each gun turned in was rewared with a $200 gift card. With all the gun activity in this city, I wonder if city is thinking about doing something like this?