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Crime & Firearms Legislation
Guns
and Crime | 2003 Gun Amnesty
Results | Firearms Legislation
& Publications
Guns and Crime
In some areas, gun crime is a major cause of fear and
distress.
Most worrying is the rise in the number of young people
carrying firearms, either to boost their image, or from
a misguided idea about self-protection.
Last year 97 lives were lost to gun crime. This is
unacceptable, and the police will soon organise a crackdown.
Tough Penalties
- The penalty for illegally possessing a gun or ammunition
is up to 10 years in prison
- Soon anyone in possession of a banned firearm will
get at least 5 years in prison
- It will soon be an offence to possess an imitation
firearm or air gun in a public place (without legal
authority or reasonable excuse)
Gun Crime Event
On 19-20 January 2003, the Home Office is hosting an
event to discuss the nature of gun crime and gun culture
with interested parties. (more...)
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2003 Gun
Amnesty Results
Our 2003 Gun Amnesty – Get Guns Off the Streets – was
a great success.
Between 31 March and 30 April 2003, the amnesty
encouraged people to hand in illegally held guns and
ammunition at
local police stations without being charged.
We also encouraged people to hand in any other unwanted
guns.
A total of 43,908 guns and 1,039,358 rounds
of ammunition were handed in and are no longer at
risk of falling in the hands of criminals.
This compares to 22,939 guns and 695,197 rounds of
ammunition relinquished during the previous amnesty
in June 1996.
The items included:
- 6,529 prohibited firearms (including 5,734
handguns)
- 10,513 shot guns
- 13,974 air weapons
- 9,480 imitations
- 3,412 assorted rifles and other guns.
In addition 7,093 other weapons were also handed in
including knives, swords and crossbows.
For more information, please see:
MP Caroline Flint's Ministerial
Statement of 15 July 2003
The final tally relinquished
items, by police force
(file size 18kb)
Or visit Get
Guns Off the Streets, our Gun Amnesty website.
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Firearms
Legislation and Publications
Code of Practice on Police use of Firearms
and Less Lethal Weapons
(File size 116Kb)
Statistics
on the police use of firearms in England and Wales 1999
- 2000
Ex
Gratia Payment Scheme for Small-Calibre Pistols [Archive]
Firearms
Act 1968: Antique Firearms
Firearms
(Amendment) Act 1997: Large-Calibre Handgun Compensation
Scheme [Archive]
Firearms
(Amendment) Act 1997: Section 7 Historic Arms: Guidance
to the Police [Archive]
Firearms:
Changes in the law [1st July 1997]
Firearms:
Police Guidance [2002]
(file size 892Kb)
Firearms
Security Handbook
Firearms
Security: Notes for Guidance
The
Government Reply to the Second Report from the Home
Affairs Committee Session 1999-2000 HC95: Controls over
Firearms (held on the Official Documents website)
Small-calibre
pistol compensation scheme and surrender arrangements
[Archive]
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