100 word response 1 reference/intext citation due 2/7/2024
Patton
Should every weapon be test-fired at the factory and entered into a database (NIBIN) with its serial number so that it can be linked to the owner who purchased it? What would be the pros and cons of this?
Yes because utilizing NIBIN technology, a list of potential outcomes is generated by comparing photos of recovered firearms and submitted ballistic evidence from shooting incidents. After that, these findings are correlated by skilled NIBIN technicians, who find NIBIN leads or possible connections or correlations involving the same weapon. The ATF oversees NIBIN, a program that digitally records cartridge case unique identifiers in a database and automatically photographs them (Rohrlich, J., October 2018). By connecting crime scenes via these distinctive markers, NIBIN assists in identifying violent offenders who commit crimes repeatedly. Pros of NIBIN involve how the NIBIN database has been extremely helpful to law enforcement over the years. Unrelated gun crimes have been matched by the system (Rohrlich, J., October 2018). Additionally, because it produces fresh leads for cases that have gone cold, it has significantly decreased the number of unsolved cases involving the use of a firearm. NIBIN operates quickly. The database has frequently produced hits a few days after a crime. This may lead to the prompt apprehension of a potential perpetrator. Reducing the time it takes for law enforcement to solve crimes is another benefit of the system. Because of this, law enforcement can spend more time preventing crimes and providing better services to the community. Cons would be the expense of implementing NIBIN, the existence of rival technologies currently available on the market, and a broader reluctance on the part of state and local police enforcement to abide by regulations controlling their crime lab operations were among the reasons put forth against it. There is a significant flaw in NIBIN’s utility: it only analyzes shell casings, not actual bullets. This implies that NIBIN is essentially worthless unless a semiautomatic gun was used in the crime. When it comes to guns that expel cartridge casings through the ejection port, NIBIN performs flawlessly (Rohrlich, J., October 2018).
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