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Statistician says gun laws not to blame for schoolboy shooting
The head crime statistician in New South Wales says there is no evidence that teenagers are finding it easier to acquire guns, in the wake of last week's shooting of a schoolboy in south-west Sydney.
Police are still seeking witnesses to the killing of 16-year-old Omar El-Chami Batch at a Bankstown bus stop on Friday....
The director of the Bureau of Crime Statistics, Don Weatherburn, says there are no figures to indicate if there are more guns available than before the Federal Government introduced tighter gun laws.....
"I think it's a little premature to be despairing over the effectiveness of the gun control laws...it's clear some young people are getting hold of guns and using them," he said.
By all accounts and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, gun crimes in general particularly robbery and violent crimes have escalated every year since the gun restrictions took effect. A marked increase in "home invasion"crimes is attributed to criminals'awareness victims are disarmed. JH
Uploaded: 2/20/2001
Uploaded: 2/20/2001