Here are two items on this topic. The first is a serious study (I've included the Abstract), the second is a link to a news item on a current corruption probe in the NYPD.
The article has some material in it which goes counter to the usual press coverage. It also shows that the "assault" long guns which get so much press coverage are quite rare, "Almost all of those for which there was any description were handguns: among the primary guns there was just one rifle and one shotgun, and similarly for the secondary guns. For the 50 primary handguns, 72% were pistols and 28% revolvers." It also has a comment which seems rather strange to me: "Several mentioned a strong preference for large-capacity magazines for their firearms, noting that a magazine holding 30 – 50 rounds would give them a tactical advantage in a fire fight." This sound to me to be mostly unrealistic thinking by the criminals plus lack of knowledge by the article's interviewers/authors. Have you ever seen a handgun magazine with a 50 round capacity? Can you imagine carrying it concealed? --henry ----- Sources of guns to dangerous people: What we learn by asking them Preventive Medicine, Volume 79, October 2015, Pages 28-36 Philip J. Cook, Susan T. Parker, Harold A. Pollack Abstract Gun violence exacts a lethal toll on public health. This paper focuses on reducing access to firearms by dangerous offenders, contributing original empirical data on the gun transactions that arm offenders in Chicago. Conducted in the fall of 2013, analysis of an open-ended survey of 99 inmates of Cook County Jail focuses on a subset of violence-prone individuals with the goal of improving law enforcement actions. Among our principal findings: *Our respondents (adult offenders living in Chicago or nearby) obtain most of their guns from their social network of personal connections. Rarely is the proximate source either direct purchase from a gun store, or theft. *Only about 60% of guns in the possession of respondents were obtained by purchase or trade. Other common arrangements include sharing guns and holding guns for others. *About one in seven respondents report selling guns, but in only a few cases as a regular source of income. *Gangs continue to play some role in Chicago in organizing gun buys and in distributing guns to members as needed. *The Chicago Police Department has a considerable effect on the workings of the underground gun market through deterrence. Transactions with strangers and less-trusted associates are limited by concerns over arrest risk (if the buyer should happen to be an undercover officer or a snitch), and about being caught with a “dirty” gun (one that has been fired in a crime). ----- http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/corruption-case-casts-harsh-light-nypd-handgun-permits-40125201 -----
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