Is the DC Democratic Government Serious About Crime?

[Opinion]

Now that the USSC has overturned DC's gun laws have there been any serious talk of increasing penalties for gun crime? or even crime in general?

Now is the time for the DC Democratic government to show if it is serious about stopping crime or just unarming lawful civilians.

[aslan]

Originally Posted by Opinion

Now that the USSC has overturned DC's gun laws have there been any serious talk of increasing penalties for gun crime? or even crime in general?

Now is the time for the DC Democratic government to show if it is serious about stopping crime or just unarming lawful civilians.

Formerly in DC a person was not even allowed to have a handgun in the home. I am assuming that this is what the SC shot down (pardon the pun). I imagine they can still ban the carrying of concealed handguns, can't they? At the very least, I believe that laws governing the issuance of permits to carry concealed weapons is still a viable alternative.

I didn't hear anything about the NYC law prohibiting the carrying of handguns. I assume that is still in place, only a person will be able to protect his home with a handgun if that had been forbidden in the past. I've been too busy to read the details of the ruling--I'm going to do it now.

[aslan]

Originally Posted by aslan

Formerly in DC a person was not even allowed to have a handgun in the home. I am assuming that this is what the SC shot down (pardon the pun). I imagine they can still ban the carrying of concealed handguns, can't they? At the very least, I believe that laws governing the issuance of permits to carry concealed weapons is still a viable alternative.

I didn't hear anything about the NYC law prohibiting the carrying of handguns. I assume that is still in place, only a person will be able to protect his home with a handgun if that had been forbidden in the past. I've been too busy to read the details of the ruling--I'm going to do it now.

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
Syllabus
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ET AL. v. HELLER
CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT
No. 07–290. Argued March 18, 2008—Decided June 26, 2008

...3. The handgun ban and the trigger-lock requirement (as applied to self-defense) violate the Second Amendment. The District’s total ban on handgun possession in the home amounts to a prohibition on an entire class of “arms” that Americans overwhelmingly choose for the lawful purpose of self-defense. Under any of the standards of scrutiny the Court has applied to enumerated constitutional rights, this prohibition—in the place where the importance of the lawful defense of self, family, and property is most acute—would fail constitutional muster. Similarly, the requirement that any lawful firearm in the home be disassembled or bound by a trigger lock makes it impossible for citizens to use arms for the core lawful purpose of self-defense and is hence unconstitutional. Because Heller conceded at oral argument that the D. C. licensing law is permissible if it is not enforced arbitrarily and capriciously, the Court assumes that a license will satisfy his prayer for relief and does not address the licensing requirement. Assuming he is not disqualified from exercising Second Amendment rights, the District must permit Heller to register his handgun and must issue him a license to carry it in the home.

[Boldface added]

[shadroch]

This ruling is actually very narrow and applies only to DC. The NY State and NYC laws are unaffected,as of now.

[QFIT]

Originally Posted by shadroch

This ruling is actually very narrow and applies only to DC. The NY State and NYC laws are unaffected,as of now.

Quite right. DC is unique because it is not in a state. State's are still allowed to make gun control laws. This will be in the courts for a long time.

[aslan]

Originally Posted by QFIT

Quite right. DC is unique because it is not in a state. State's are still allowed to make gun control laws. This will be in the courts for a long time.

DC still has the right to make gun laws as well. Only guns maintained in the home for home defense are addressed. DC will retain it's ban on carrying handguns outside the home. Also, it will have the right to require residents to register handguns maintained in the home. I'd be very surprised if the right to maintain a handgun in the home does not carry over to the states. This is not an issue of states rights; it's an issue of interpreting the Constitution and what it has to say about every citizen's rights.

[Opinion]

I think the SC ruling overturnes all similar laws?

The point of my post was to ask the question:

Is DC now going to do something to control crime?

They can no longer blame their crime on VA gun laws.

If they truly want to stop gun crime then they should have harsh sentences for anyone who commits crimes with a gun!

I have not heard that the DC government since the ruling is trying to enact tough gun laws on actual criminals, to me it speaks volumes.