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| Christchurch shootings: How mass killings have changed gun laws | Christchurch shootings: How mass killings have changed gun laws |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced details of major gun law reforms following last Friday's mass shooting at two mosques. | |
| The country will ban all military-style semi-automatic weapons and all assault rifles, she said, a move which was "making sure this never happens again". | |
| Not every country reacts to mass shootings by changing the law. But there have been some notable examples where tragedies have led to a complete overhaul of legislation. | Not every country reacts to mass shootings by changing the law. But there have been some notable examples where tragedies have led to a complete overhaul of legislation. |
| Australia | Australia |
| In 1996, 35 people were killed with illegally-owned guns around the historic site of Port Arthur in Tasmania. | In 1996, 35 people were killed with illegally-owned guns around the historic site of Port Arthur in Tasmania. |
| The Australian government reacted by requiring states to ban all semi-automatic and self-loading weapons, and restricted certain other types of handgun. | The Australian government reacted by requiring states to ban all semi-automatic and self-loading weapons, and restricted certain other types of handgun. |
| It also introduced a comprehensive registration and licensing system and made the requirements for owning a gun tougher. A mandatory buyback scheme resulted in at least 600,000 guns being handed over to the authorities. | It also introduced a comprehensive registration and licensing system and made the requirements for owning a gun tougher. A mandatory buyback scheme resulted in at least 600,000 guns being handed over to the authorities. |
| In the two decades before the law changed, there were 13 mass shootings. | In the two decades before the law changed, there were 13 mass shootings. |
| In the more than 20 years since the law changed, there have been two mass shootings where four or more people were killed. | In the more than 20 years since the law changed, there have been two mass shootings where four or more people were killed. |
| Two people were also killed in a shooting at a university campus in Melbourne, which led to further law changes. | Two people were also killed in a shooting at a university campus in Melbourne, which led to further law changes. |
| Studies suggest that aside from the victims of the Port Arthur shooting, 69 gun homicides were recorded in 1996 compared with 30 in 2012. There was also a major reduction in firearms suicides with no comparable reduction in suicide by other means. | Studies suggest that aside from the victims of the Port Arthur shooting, 69 gun homicides were recorded in 1996 compared with 30 in 2012. There was also a major reduction in firearms suicides with no comparable reduction in suicide by other means. |
| Britain | Britain |
| In 1996, a gunman opened fire at a primary school in Dunblane, Scotland, killing 16 pupils and a teacher. The handguns he had with him were owned legally with a firearms certificate. | In 1996, a gunman opened fire at a primary school in Dunblane, Scotland, killing 16 pupils and a teacher. The handguns he had with him were owned legally with a firearms certificate. |
| The shooting led to a change in the law in Scotland, England and Wales which effectively outlawed all private ownership of handguns. | The shooting led to a change in the law in Scotland, England and Wales which effectively outlawed all private ownership of handguns. |
| An amnesty led to the surrender of 165,353 licensed handguns and 700 tonnes of ammunition by the spring of 1999. | An amnesty led to the surrender of 165,353 licensed handguns and 700 tonnes of ammunition by the spring of 1999. |
| This built on law changes that had been introduced a decade earlier, after a mass shooting in Hungerford in the south of England, which was also carried out with legally licensed firearms. | This built on law changes that had been introduced a decade earlier, after a mass shooting in Hungerford in the south of England, which was also carried out with legally licensed firearms. |
| The law change following the 1987 killings banned most semi-automatic long-barrelled weapons and some types of ammunition. | The law change following the 1987 killings banned most semi-automatic long-barrelled weapons and some types of ammunition. |
| In Scotland, there was a fall in gun crime following Dunblane. By 2015-16, offences had fallen to levels not seen for more than 30 years. | In Scotland, there was a fall in gun crime following Dunblane. By 2015-16, offences had fallen to levels not seen for more than 30 years. |
| But in England and Wales, there was a rise in gun crime in the years immediately following Dunblane. | But in England and Wales, there was a rise in gun crime in the years immediately following Dunblane. |
| Peter Squires, a criminologist professor at the University of Brighton ,says this was not to do with law changes, but largely to do with changes in the gun market, including a trend for replica and air weapons. | Peter Squires, a criminologist professor at the University of Brighton ,says this was not to do with law changes, but largely to do with changes in the gun market, including a trend for replica and air weapons. |
| This was followed by a fall in firearms offences from the early 2000s. | This was followed by a fall in firearms offences from the early 2000s. |
| Part of the initial reduction was down to the fact that offences involving air weapons were taken out of firearms legislation and brought under anti-social behaviour legislation. | Part of the initial reduction was down to the fact that offences involving air weapons were taken out of firearms legislation and brought under anti-social behaviour legislation. |
| But even after this reclassification, there was still a significant and relatively consistent fall in gun crime, excluding air weapons, until 2016. | But even after this reclassification, there was still a significant and relatively consistent fall in gun crime, excluding air weapons, until 2016. |
| As this was against a backdrop of generally falling violent crime in that period, we cannot pin the fall on gun laws alone. | As this was against a backdrop of generally falling violent crime in that period, we cannot pin the fall on gun laws alone. |
| Recently there have been reversals in this trend - violent crime in England and Wales has risen by 19% in a year, although this was chiefly driven by a rise in knife crime. | Recently there have been reversals in this trend - violent crime in England and Wales has risen by 19% in a year, although this was chiefly driven by a rise in knife crime. |
| Between 2002-03 (when recording changed) and 2014-15, firearms offences, excluding air weapons, fell from 10,248 to 4,911 but have since risen to 6,521 in 2017-18. | Between 2002-03 (when recording changed) and 2014-15, firearms offences, excluding air weapons, fell from 10,248 to 4,911 but have since risen to 6,521 in 2017-18. |
| There has been one mass shooting in Britain since Dunblane - in Cumbria in 2010. | There has been one mass shooting in Britain since Dunblane - in Cumbria in 2010. |
| Canada | Canada |
| In 1989, a school shooting in Montreal, during which the gunman specifically targeted girls and women, led to a national debate around gun control. | In 1989, a school shooting in Montreal, during which the gunman specifically targeted girls and women, led to a national debate around gun control. |
| The weapons he used were legally held. | The weapons he used were legally held. |
| A law was passed in 1991 in response to the shooting, restricting automatic and semi-automatic weapons. It also introduced a 28-day waiting period to apply for a firearms certificate and further background checks. | A law was passed in 1991 in response to the shooting, restricting automatic and semi-automatic weapons. It also introduced a 28-day waiting period to apply for a firearms certificate and further background checks. |
| The requirement to pass a firearms safety course was introduced later. | The requirement to pass a firearms safety course was introduced later. |
| The debate around this legislation led to a further law being passed, which meant all non-restricted weapons had to be registered. This requirement was repealed in 2012 and has been a source of debate since. | The debate around this legislation led to a further law being passed, which meant all non-restricted weapons had to be registered. This requirement was repealed in 2012 and has been a source of debate since. |
| Findings from studies on the impact of Canada's gun control legislation have been mixed. | Findings from studies on the impact of Canada's gun control legislation have been mixed. |
| A 2004 study found "a significant decrease after [the passage of the 1991 Bill] in the rates of suicides and homicides involving firearms and the percentage of suicides using firearms". | A 2004 study found "a significant decrease after [the passage of the 1991 Bill] in the rates of suicides and homicides involving firearms and the percentage of suicides using firearms". |
| But others have been more hesitant in drawing causal links. | But others have been more hesitant in drawing causal links. |
| Deaths by shooting excluding suicide fell considerably between 1991 and 2011, when firearms homicides hit their lowest level in 50 years. | Deaths by shooting excluding suicide fell considerably between 1991 and 2011, when firearms homicides hit their lowest level in 50 years. |
| Homicides by all means fell during that period. | Homicides by all means fell during that period. |
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