giles@ucf-cs.UUCP (Bruce Giles) (07/27/84)
One interesting experiment in Florida has already been mentioned (the police
training women the proper use of handguns in Orlando), but there are two
other pertinent laws/facts:
(1): Mandatory 3 year (5 year?) sentence for any crime committed with a
gun. It does not even matter whether you fired it, or even showed
it. You have it on you, you serve extra time.
(2): Stricter enforcement against drug dealers. Especially the type that
is being run out of Miami for other southern cities. (my condolances).
Net result: an increase in the crime rate.
Reason:
(1): I'm holding up a 7-11 at 3:00 am. I have a gun, so if I am caught I
will serve extra time. But, there is only one witness. Do I shoot
him/her in cold blood so there are no witnesses, but risk a greater
penality (especially with the current governor & his pen), or do I
risk being caught and spending extra time for the robbery?
GOOD BYE CLERK!
Southco has ~solved this problem by clearly posting signs which state
that there is always less than $25 accessable after 10:00 pm (or there-
abouts). Orange County (Orlando & Mickey Mouse) definitely solved
the problem with large signs in the door stating "This store under
survellience. If challenged by a police officer, DROP your weapon,
RAISE your hands, and DO NOT MOVE" or something to that effect.
After this program started, the crime rate in these stores dropped
FAR below what it had been. But the ever-shortsighted county
commission has eliminated funding for the program. (p.s., the cops
actually only stacked out a few stores, but the criminals never
knew which ones). (p.p.s., a Southco (7-11) employee in Texas lost
his job last year after a shootout with a robber who was leading him
back to the cooler. (If you need to ask why, please wake up!). This
undoubtably saved his life, but it was against Southco policy for
employees to be armed in their store, regardless how infrequently
a police officer passed by the store).
(2): Anyone familiar with the drug traffic in South Florida should
know why trafficers starting shooting with no questions asked after
this started occuring. After all, these are people who whould
post bond in the MILLIONS OF DOLLARS and skip the country. After
all, 10 Million == 1 week's income. But when judges started saying
"no bond", and actually sentencing trafficers, they decided it would
be better to literally shoot their way out of the country, if need
be.
Moral of the story: It's fine and well to say "go after the criminal, not
the weapon", but remember that an animal is most dangerous when
cornered, and we are talking about the most dangerous animal possible!
Solution: Darn'd if I know.
Bruce Giles
{decvax, duke}!ucf-cs!giles university of central florida
giles.ucf-cs@Rand-Relay orlando, florida 32816