New ‘vigilante lite’ street courts are to be introduced nationwide

[Neuralsandwich]

I would wonder how Britian would turn out if we had guns. The majority of the public would be to stupid to handle the correctly. Unlike America we haven't grown up with guns and it would be another time to worry about with thugs.

Courts and sentencing needs a shake up, no one seems for fear of even bother about going to prison with some of the crimes they commit. I think since there is a strong push for human right and the way people are treated we will never see anything like before or anything that could be a deterrent for crime.

[Skean Dhude]

Those that are scared won't buy them but to counter that you don't need any training to get a SGC or a FAC. What is the difference?

I think we would need to beef up the justice system as well. In america if there is a death whilst you commit a crime you are tried for murder. That goes for the getaway driver who may not go anywhere near the shooting. Thus if the bad guys enter a building to rob someone and anyone gets shot even by a defender in that building. Its a murder charge.

Plus life should mean life and the other sentences beefed up in the same way. I don't believe in three strikes and you are out but do believe in escalating sentences such as 1st offence, sentance x 1, 2nd offences sentence x 3, 3rd offence sentence x 9, see the way we are going? That would bring things back under control after a few years of turmoil.

[Paul]

You're bang on about the general public being too stupid, and I'm pretty certain that there would be a fair amount of accidential discharges and bad kills.
In 2010/11, there were 60 gun murders. This includes the 12 Cumbria shootings.
48 non registered weapon deaths (not counting the 3 fatal police shootings which for some reason aren't included in the Govt O.S.T. totals).
A gradual increase year on year since the gun laws went stupid in 87 / 97.
Would that number increase further if guns were back in circulation?
Yep, without a doubt BUT I'd still feel safer with a weapon back in my home.

[Skean Dhude]

I don't think it will. Scum can attach ordinary people knowing they are unarmed. If we could carry then they would not know who was carrying. Thus crime goes down, that is what is happenning in the US now, as concealed carry is expanded crime goes down, except in areas where CC is not allowed. What a coincidence.

[Paul]

I've always been a fan of CC. Have relatives in US who CC. Man, wife and daughter (son was too stupid to pass the legally required range safety test).
As you said, where it is allowed, armed or even assault crime is down as they never know what they would be taking on.
Problem here is the mainstream limp wrist UK mentality.
Can't do anything to defend ourselves in case the criminal's human rights are abused.
Probably why we're in the state we're in now.

[Neuralsandwich]

I would have thought that the states that allow open carrying would have lower rate, since you can see the weapon and all.

Sometimes it seems like the human rights societies are more bothered about the treatment of criminals, than the victims of the crime. There definately needs to be harsher sentencing, but only on crimes where people are killed, injuried or have property (physical) stolen or damaged.

[Skean Dhude]

Concealed carry means everyone could be carrying. Open carry means you can see who is carrying.

The facts speak for themselves. Despite Michael Moore and his implications America is safer to live in than the UK. The interesting thing I found was in his film Bowling at Columbine I came away with the knowledge that guns were fine it was Americans you needed to be scared of. Yet the conclusion was it was the guns. Strange that, it is almost as if he had an agenda.