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Determining ease of access to arms methodology and coding

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Abstract

This paper aims to establish an initial determination of what the primary indicators of the ease of access to small arms and light weapons are. Guns are so abundant and ubiquitous in most parts of the world that the right question to ask is not how many guns are out there but what are the conditions, or lack thereof, that promote the ease of access. This paper also aims to offer researchers with initial tools for coding indicators for the ease of access in future investigations on this important topic. At the outset, I introduce three sets of indicators: legal, ‘black market feeder indicators’, and socialeconomic indicators.

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Notes

  1. Ibid, p. 8.

  2. UN General Assembly, The Program of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, issued as part of the Report of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, New York, 9–20 July 2001, A/CONF.192/PC/15, 2001.

  3. Only about 40 countries have enacted legislation pertinent to brokering activities. The United States law is the strongest law and is likely to serve as a model for the ongoing negotiations on possibly negotiating a treaty on brokering at the UN.

  4. See online, available http://www.uncjin.org/Statistics/firearms.

  5. UNECOSOC, Firearm Regulation for the Purpose of Crime Prevention and Public Health and Safety, E/1997/30, E/CN.15/1997/21, E/CN.15/1997/L.19/Rev.1, 1997.

  6. Ibid., p. 175.

  7. UNECOSOC, Report on the Sixth Session (28 April–9 May 1997), Economic and Social Council, Official Records, 1997, Supplement no. 10, E/1997/30, E/CN.15/1997/21, 1997. [7]; and also by [3] p. 15, where she recommends states to: “Adopt national regulatory regimes consistent with the 1997 UN Commission of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Resolution.”

  8. UNIDIR, The Scope and Implications of Developing a Mechanism to Prevent the Illicit Brokering in Small Arms, 2006.

  9. [8]; see also, [9]

  10. [10] with Wulf, op. cit.; [8], op. cit.

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  1. Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA

    Denise Garcia

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  1. Denise Garcia
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Correspondence to Denise Garcia.

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Garcia, D. Determining ease of access to arms methodology and coding. Crime Law Soc Change 51, 451–461 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-008-9181-x

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