NCJ Number
99798
Date Published
1984
Length
29 pages
Annotation
This study reviews Canada's current gun control laws, their impact, the history of Canada's gun control legislation, and reasons why Canada has passed such laws while the United States has not.
Abstract
The review of current Canadian gun control legislation notes the definition and requirements for owning prohibited weapons, restricted weapons, and long-guns. The legislation carefully controls the possession of handguns by providing for limited reasons for possession, careful screening of applicants, vigorous judicial sentencing, and strong Federal action. A 3-year government-sponsored study of this legislation reported in 1983 that the legislation has had a moderate impact on firearms use in Canada. There was a large decrease in homicides with firearms from 1978 to 1979, probably due to requiring a certificate for the acquisition of long-guns as of January 1, 1979. The study also concluded that the legislation positively impacted the use of firearms in robberies. The historical sketch of Canadian gun control legislation covers the past 100 years. In examining reasons why Canada has succeeded in passing such legislation whereas the United States has not, the discussion focuses on differences in governmental structure, legislative processes, law enforcement structure, and differences in cultural traditions of gun ownership. 147 references.