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Overview

Community Based Strategy for Implementation of the Firearms Law in Quebec: A project sponsored by the National Crime Prevention Centre Coalition for Gun Control. Overview. Background : Coalition,NCPC Project, Firearms Law Trends in Firearm Violence The Problem Role of Community in Solutions.

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Overview

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  1. Community Based Strategy for Implementation of the Firearms Law in Quebec:A project sponsored by the National Crime Prevention Centre Coalition for Gun Control

  2. Overview • Background : Coalition,NCPC Project, • Firearms Law • Trends in Firearm Violence • The Problem • Role of Community in Solutions

  3. BACKGROUND • The Coalition for Gun Control was founded in 1990 • Supported by more than 350 org. in Canada,100 organizations in Quebec • Has worked to pass strong firearms legislation and defend it • Is now focused on implementation

  4. Objectives of Project • To reduce death, injury and crime with firearms in Quebec as well as improving the perception of safety • raise awareness about problem • increase engagement of citizens • increase participation • reduce fear • reduce injury, death, crime

  5. Approach • to develop community based tools which can be used to support implementation of the firearms law in Quebec • focus on vulnerable groups • intervention models for • urban contexts (English and French) • rural contexts (French)

  6. Problem Identification and Analysis Monitoring and Evaluation Analysis and Causal Factors Development of Interventions Implementation

  7. Identify, And Then, Interrupt, The Causal Chain We aim to break the chain as early as possible

  8. Potential Target Regions • Bas Saint-Laurent • Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean • Québec • Estrie • Montréal • Côte-Nord • Montérégie

  9. Process 1. Work within existing committees and structures (eg. suicide, crime etc) and engage relevant stakeholders 2. Define problem and opportunities 3. Identify “best practices” and develop appropriate tools (e.g. policies, training, checklists) 4. Building cross-sectoral cooperation to develop and implement strategies 5. Evaluate

  10. Deliverables (3 years) • Background research on problem, fact-based policies and models • Mobilization of key stakeholders • Assess current knowledge, attitudes, skills • Develop models and guidelines • Train the trainers • Validation and evaluation

  11. CANADIAN FIREARMS LEGISLATION • Handguns are restricted weapons and have required registration and special permits since the 1930’s. There are 1 million handguns in Canada. • Military weapons were banned in 1977, 1991 and 1995 • Licensing gun owners and registration of rifles and shotguns were introduced in 1995

  12. Licensing • Screening based on identifiable risks • Criminal record • Knowledge and skill with firearms • Mental health • Knowing who has guns allows preventative measures

  13. Registration • ESSENTIAL to enforce licensing (i.e. preventing licensed individuals from giving guns to unlicensed individuals)= • Assists in preventative action • Assists in law enforcement -tracing etc. • Licensing and registration discourage casual ownership and reinforce accountability

  14. Legislation is ONE tool • To reduce the risk those who are a danger to themselves or others will have access to firearms • Prohibition of firearms where the risk is considered to outweigh the utility • Distinguish legal versus illegal guns

  15. Status of Law Public compliance with new Firearms Act continues to strengthen: • 2 million (95%) of owners are licensed • 7 million (90%) of guns are registered • Since Dec.1, 1998, the notification line has received well over 22,000 calls. This has proven to be an excellent tool for an applicant’s spouse (or others) to share concerns about public safety • Police access the system 1500 times a day

  16. Supreme Court of Canada “The registration provisions cannot be severed from the rest of the Act. The licensing provisions require everyone who possesses a gun to be licensed; the registration provisions require all guns to be registered. These portions of the Firearms Act are both tightly linked to Parliament’s goal of promoting safety by reducing the misuse of any and all firearms. Both portions are integral and necessary to the operation of the scheme.” (Supreme Court, Reference Regarding Firearms Act (June 2000)

  17. Support for Gun Control Legislation by RegionJanuary 2003 46-reg

  18. TRENDS IN FIREARM VIOLENCE • 1991: 1444 firearm deaths in Canada • 2002: 816 firearm deaths • Overall firearm death and injury rates in Canada have declined • Murders with rifles and shotguns have plummeted • Rates in Quebec have declined faster

  19. Source: Deaths Involving Firearms. Wilkins, Kathryn. Statistics Canada Health Reports, Volume 16 Number 4. June 2005

  20. Source: Deaths Involving Firearms. Wilkins, Kathryn. Statistics Canada Health Reports, Volume 16 Number 4. June 2005

  21. Trends in Firearm Deaths (per 100,000)

  22. Trends in Firearm Homicide Rates (per 100,000)

  23. Trends in Firearm Robbery Rates (per 100,000)

  24. Rate of Firearm Robbery

  25. ROLE OF COMMUNITY GROUPS IN IMPLEMENTATION • Laws are words on paper • Essentials for implementation reside in the community - Understanding of risks, law, interventions - Issuing/renewing licenses - Removing firearms from high risk situations, individuals - Motivation to intervene: roles and responsibilities

  26. Police • Chiefs • Managers • Investigators • Frontline Officers • Specialists - outreach, community policing, domestic violence • Associations

  27. Education • School Boards • Teachers Associations • Principals • Guidance Counsellors • Teachers

  28. Healthcare • Nurses • Pediatricians • Emergency Physicians • Trauma Physicians • Suicide Prevention Experts • Psychiatrists • Public Health Associations

  29. Social Services • Domestic Violence Workers • Psychologists • Social Workers • Community Organizations • Crime Prevention Groups • Offender Support Organizations • The Public

  30. THE PROBLEM • Crime, fear • Death and injury - homicide, suicide, accidents • Domestic violence

  31. Number of Firearm Deaths by Type, Quebec, 1990-2003

  32. Cost of firearms violence • Firearms death and injury is estimated to cost $6.6 billion per year in Canada • Fear of firearms violence can affect economic development

  33. Firearm death • Public health experts view firearm death like disease • Firearm death has common cause Availability and misuse of firearms

  34. Situation in Quebec • Significant variations in the rates of firearms violence and injury • Perception of an increase is not based on fact • The need to raise awareness of the risks of suicide with firearms • Important differences between urban and rural contexts • Need for better control

  35. Problem: Access to Guns • Firearm deaths rates linked to availability and easy access to guns

  36. Misconceptions Some misconceptions are that: • Only criminals, gangs misuse firearms • Problem is handguns not rifles and shotguns • Homicide is major cause of death with firearms (not suicide) • Firearms are the most common instrument particular for males

  37. Regional Variations in Firearm Death

  38. Ted Miller and Mark Cohen,"Costs of Gunshot and Cut/Stab Wounds in the United States, with some Canadian Comparisons. " Accid Anal Prev 1997; 29 (3): 329-41.

  39. Firearm Death Rates (per 100,000) In Census Metropolitan Areas

  40. Crime: Risk Factors • For some types of crime: disadvantage, inequity etc. • Insecurity (real and perceived) • Age and gender • Alcohol or substance abuse • Job loss or financial problems • Marital breakdown • Contextual

  41. Sources of Firearms Vary • In rural areas rifles and shotguns are most often recovered in crime • In large urban centres, handguns are more often recovered • More than half of handguns illegally imported from USA • Guns/drugs/financial crimes interconnected

  42. Problem: Crime Involving Firearms in Canada Proportion of rifles and shotguns recovered in crime is much higher in rural communities Source: Smuggling work groups; Illegal Movement of Firearms (April, 1995)

  43. Rural Context • Rates of death with firearms are higher where there are more firearms • Generally firearms are more available in rural areas • The culture of firearms is different • In rural areas suicide is often committed with firearms

  44. Virtually Every Illegal Firearm Begins As A Legal Firearm • Legal firearms are sometimes misused by their owners (whether civilians or state officials) • Legal firearms are stolen or illegally sold from civilians, dealers, state stockpiles • Illegal firearms are smuggled in from the other countries

  45. Opportunity Areas-Policing • Increase awareness of gun problem: data and trend analysis (fact-based decisions and interventions) • Prioritization of gun problem and integration with community policing to build community “ownership” • Taking preventative action - clear procedures: “when in doubt say no” • Think guns in all investigations: crime, suicide, domestic violence

  46. Problem: Suicide • 20% of suicides with firearms - most common is .22 rifle • Quebec rates above national average (240 suicides with firearms every year) • Males, youth and elderly at risk • Some professions, eg. policing, have particular firearm risk • Regional variations • Particular problem in rural areas

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