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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!floyd!clyde!ihnp4!ihuxr!stanwyck
From: stanwyck@ihuxr.UUCP (Don Stanwyck)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: Handguns
Message-ID: <662@ihuxr.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Sep-83 09:47:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxr.662
Posted: Mon Sep 26 09:47:18 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Sep-83 06:40:23 EDT
References: <2002@phs.UUCP>
Organization: BTL Naperville, Il.
Lines: 19

The argument that criminals think about the odds before doing the crime has
been found to be a false premise a number of times.  This is the very reason
that capital punishment doesn't work.  (Although I support it for other
reasons, primarily tax$$ related.)  

Criminals do not believe they are going to be caught.  Thus, whatever the
potential cost of being caught is, it is not a problem.

In most cities today, the majority of burglary related crimes are done by
juveniles and drug addicts.  The drug addict who needs to steal to support a
habit doesn't give a hoot what his odds of getting caught are - he just needs
a fix.  The juvenile is usually in on it as a dare, or as a lark.  Either way,
it doesn't occur to him that someone would actually shoot a kid.  

So who are you stopping by having your gun?  The professional won't be bothered
with you; the drug addict doesn't care; and you would shoot a kid???

                Don Stanwyck            ihnp4!ihuxr!stanwyck