The Failure of Fingerprinting

GGReporter · 03-12-2008, 09:32 AM

Yet another new study shows that ballistic fingerprinting doesn't work the way the gun-banners claimed it would. Doubts about the validity of the science, combined with problems in real-world implementation, mean that for the foreseeable future, we probably won't be hearing the anti-gunners clamoring for this new piece of gun control.

Instead, expect to hear a lot of talk about "microstamping." The authors of the study on ballistic fingerprinting mentioned microstamping as an alternative. But they never got into the real-world problems with that technology, either.

From the additional cost to the easily defeated stamp itself, microstamping is another illusion of "gun safety." The problems with microstamping are numerous and not easily corrected, but that won't stop gun-controllers from trying to pass microstamping laws around the country.

The other day I saw a story from Massachusetts. It seems criminals are increasingly having surgery to try and remove their fingerprints. If they're going through this much trouble, do you really think they're going to legally purchase a firearm that could be tied back to them? Give me a break. They'll continue to acquire their firearms illegally. Meanwhile, an honest gun owner who tries to replace a firing pin on his handgun may inadvertently become a criminal by removing the microstamped part.

We're all for helping law enforcement. But that means real help, not pie-in-the-sky proposals that will only drain law-enforcement dollars instead of truly helping the cops on the street.

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03-12-2008, 09:32 AM	#1
GGReporter Magazine Staff Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 718 Trader Rating: (0)	The Failure of Fingerprinting Yet another new study shows that ballistic fingerprinting doesn't work the way the gun-banners claimed it would. Doubts about the validity of the science, combined with problems in real-world implementation, mean that for the foreseeable future, we probably won't be hearing the anti-gunners clamoring for this new piece of gun control. Instead, expect to hear a lot of talk about "microstamping." The authors of the study on ballistic fingerprinting mentioned microstamping as an alternative. But they never got into the real-world problems with that technology, either. From the additional cost to the easily defeated stamp itself, microstamping is another illusion of "gun safety." The problems with microstamping are numerous and not easily corrected, but that won't stop gun-controllers from trying to pass microstamping laws around the country. The other day I saw a story from Massachusetts. It seems criminals are increasingly having surgery to try and remove their fingerprints. If they're going through this much trouble, do you really think they're going to legally purchase a firearm that could be tied back to them? Give me a break. They'll continue to acquire their firearms illegally. Meanwhile, an honest gun owner who tries to replace a firing pin on his handgun may inadvertently become a criminal by removing the microstamped part. We're all for helping law enforcement. But that means real help, not pie-in-the-sky proposals that will only drain law-enforcement dollars instead of truly helping the cops on the street. More...