Background checks at Gun Shows

[cthulu2016]

Last edited Sun Jan 20, 2013, 02:47 PM - Edit history (2)

I was recalling, without reference to guns, what it was like in the 1980s to take credit cards at a flea market. People had to write down the information on a piece of paper and make a trip to a pay phone to read the data to a human being who would then authorize the charge.

I was typical to tell credit card purchasers to come back in a few hours to pick up their merchandise.

Today you would just enter the credit card information into a form on your tablet. And the same would apply to things like background checks. If you can do a credit card transaction at a gun show with ease today (you can) then you can do a background check... in both cases you are just accessing a database somewhere for an approval.

An example of the intersection of reasonableness of regulation and technology. Assuming that universal background checks passes it will be due as much to changing technology as anything else. (The need for background checks hasn't increased, the burden of universal checks has decreased.)

[spanone]

1. k&r...

[cantbeserious]

2. What Would Prevent A Gun Enthusiast From Entering Fraudulent Information?

eom

[cthulu2016]

3. The same thing that would prevent them from doing so at a gun store

Meaning something, or nothing... I don't know the speciffics of the process, but whatever they do at a gun store can now also be done at a gun show since the interface is going to be computer-to-computer, probably over the internet. I assume a government pcture ID is required.

But the point is that either way, the ability or non-ability to enter bogus information would be the same, but no higher than at a regular strore.

[cantbeserious]

4. So Really No Improvement Since Fraud Is Always Possible

eom

[cthulu2016]

5. I assume the step is demanded for a reason.

A determined person can get around almost anything, but things like carding people for alcohol do greatly reduce possession of alcohol by minors.

Not everybody has fake ID with their picture but the identity of a lawful gun purchaser handy.

[Orrex]

6. How do we know that you're the real cantbeserious?

Your question borders on the absurd, suggesting that we should do nothing because we can't guarantee 100% accuracy.

How often does fraud occur under the current system? Citation, please.

How often would fraud occur under the proposed system? Citation, please.


If 40% of gun sales currently take place with no background checks, I'd say that we'd see an improvement even if 5% of sales are conducted with fraudulent information. And if we were to hold gun sellers accountable for the accuracy of the background checks, we'd see a strong market incentive (worshipped by the Right) to ensure that the checks are done correctly.

[cantbeserious]

11. I Suggested Nothing Of The Kind

Seems that self-supplied applicant information is a pretty low threshold to meet.

How About Birth Certificates, Fingerprinting, Retinal Scans, Voice Analysis as methods to test the veracity of gun purchase applicants?

How about all of the above in combination along with proof of liability insurance?

[spanone]

8. then we should do away with all laws, cause, ya know, people will do shit anyway.

[baldguy]

10. Well, they're all fine, upstanding, law-abiding citizens. Aren't they?

[cantbeserious]

12. As Gun Appreciation Day Just Proved - The White Hat Guys Will Not Be Our Salvation

eom

[slackmaster]

7. By law, information that goes into the system has to be done by a federal firearms licensee

The law would have to be changed to allow consumers to enter it.

We have background checks at gun shows here in California. The system works pretty smoothly, but there is always a crowd 10 days later at the dealers who act as transfer agents (and hold the firearms for the state's mandatory waiting period.)

[cthulu2016]

9. Thanks for the info

I changed to OP to remove the part about customers typing in the information, which was just a conversational off-hand.