BrattleboroCitizens'Breakfast October18,2013 GibsonAikenCenterBrattleboroVT NotesfromGunSenseVT:asensibleapproach? Presenter:AnnBradengunsensevt@gmail.com http://gunsensevt.

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TheDistrictofVermont'seffortstocombatfirearmsviolenceinthestateareshapedbytwo realities.First,federallawenforcementhasauniqueresponsibilitytocombattheacquisitionand possessionoffirearmsbycriminalsinVermontbecausethestatehasnolawsprohibitingthe possessionoffirearmsbypersonsprohibitedunderfederallaw.Second,themostpervasive formofviolentcrimeinthestateresultsfromdomesticdisputes. USDepartmentofJustice(2001) Gunviolencereduction:NationalIntegratedFirearmsViolenceReductionStrategy http://www.justice.gov/archive/opd/AppendixA.htm#AppendixA Commentingontheabovequote,nowadozenyearsold,AnnBradenstatedthatnotmuchhas changed,exceptthatwhiledomesticviolenceisstillaproblem,suicideisnowaproblemwith Vermonthavingthe12thhighestsuiciderateinthenation,themajorityofwhicharecarriedout withafirearm. AnnpersonallybecameinvolvedaftertheincidentatNewtownCT.HermomlivesinNewtown andsheknowsthatcommunity,reasoningthatifthatkindofgunviolencecouldhappenthere,it couldhappenanywhere. ShebeganbyaskingwhetherthelawsmakesenseandstartedlearningaboutVermontlawand foundnotmuchofanything.TherearesomefederallawsandVermonthasreliedonthem,but thereareholesinthoseprovisionsaswell.Whiletherewassomehopethattherewouldbea changeinStatelaw,therewasastrongreactionfromthegunlobbyandtheStatedidnotappear tobereadytohavethisconversation. Thereisstillthehopethatwecandiscussthesubjectinarationalwaytopreventgunsfrom fallingintothewronghands.Thefactthat1600havesignedontotheGunSenseVTemaillist, representing160townsinVermontshowsthatthereissomuchcommongroundontheissue. Thegoalistokeepgunsawayfromunsupervisedchildrenconvictedviolentfelonsdomestic abusersandthoseadjudicatedmentallyincompetentbycourtorder.Howcanwebetterenforce theexistinglawsandfillinthegaps?Whatisproposed? (1)Betterbackgroundcheckscurrently,theFederalcheckonlylooksatcriminalconvictions. Mentalhealthstatusanddomesticprotectionordersneedtobeincludedsothatthereis

completeinformation. (2)Safestorageattentiontostoragewouldsignificantlyreducetheincidenceofteensuicides. Itisoftenstatedthatifsomeonewantstokilloneself,hewillfindaway.However,itisknowthat themajorityofsuicidalpeopleonlyfeelthatsuicidalimpulseforabriefwindow(lessthanfive minutes).Ninetypercentofthosewhosurviveasuicideattemptgoontoliveanormallife.A delayinaccessingagunwillgetthemthroughthatwindow.Mentalhealthsupportisalso needed.Suicideswithafirearmhavean85%successwhiletakingpillsareabout2%15% successful.Statesthathavegreateraccessibilitytogunshaveincreasedratesofsuicides. (3)BringStateinlinewithFederalLawVermontisonlyoneoftwostatesthatdoesnothavea lawprohibitingconvictedviolentfelonsfrompossessingafirearm.Locallawenforcementdefers suchcasestoAlcoholTobacco&Firearms(ATF)andtherearentthatmanyATFagentsinthe State.Thoughitstillmighthappen,wedontneedtomakeiteasyforfelonstopossessa firearm.Thegunsfordrugsphenomenonmakesiteasyforcrimetocomeintoneighborhoods wheretherewasntadrawotherwise. Whilenolegislationcameoutofcommitteelastsession,thisisanareawherethereissomuch commongroundandthereneedstobeadiscussiononresponsiblegunuseandthatdiscussion oughttoincludeprohuntingandgunownershipfolks. Wehavedoneagreatjobwithhuntinglaws,butnotwithgeneralgunlaws.Thisshowwedont reallyneedtoreinventanything. YouangetinvolvedusingtheGunSenseVTwebsitehttp://gunsensevt.org/whereyoucansign upforanemaillistandsignapetitiontoGov.Shumlintosupportsensiblegunlaws. Aweekorsoago,theGovernorannouncedplanstotrytofindstoragefacilitiesforweapons seizedbypolicepursuanttodomesticviolenceprotectionorders.Weneedtobeabletoenforce lawsalreadyonthebooks. http://vtdigger.org/2013/10/03/governorwantsfacilityhousegunsseizeddomesticviolencesus pects/ DiscussionComments,Questions,Insights: Aparticipantinvolvedwithadomesticviolencepreventionprogramunderscoredmanyofthe concerns,particularlytheneedtostoreweaponsseizedpursuanttoacourtorder. Limitedmeasuresrelatingtotrafficking,storageconcerns,backgroundchecks,temporary seizureofweaponsindomesticcasesaremorefeasiblethanonesbanningcertainhigh capacityorassaultweapons. Theideaofadigitalsignatureonbulletsisintriguing,butbegsquestionsofaffordabilityand implementation.