Reality Check: Do Gun Buyback Programs Actually Work?

By Robin Pugh-Perry, Mhs

Gun buy-back programs have been popular in urban areas as a way to reduce gun violence since the 1990’s. Back in September 2011, over 850 guns were taken off the streets between Staten Island, NY and Cleveland, OH with the majority of 700+ coming out of Cleveland and its surrounding suburbs. There were no questions asked. The folks in Staten Island received $200 for a working handgun and $20 for a shotgun or rifle. In Cleveland, folks were given $100 gift cards to Wal-Mart or other retail stores.

More recently in Cincinnati, OH, a coalition of ministries and neighborhood groups in the West Price Hill section sponsored an anti-violence gun buy-back initiative over the 2012 Martin Luther Day holiday weekend. The organizers of the event collected 50 different types of operable guns in exchange for $100 gift cards, again Wal-Mart or other popular retail stores. Event organizers had to turn people away because they ran out of gift cards.

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Anonymous

I am a minister at a Harlem-based church whose Bishop opened up our facility to host a gun-buy back weekend in cooperation with the Police Commissioners Office and the Manhattan D.A.’s office of Community Affairs. Is this the total answer by itself? No. But that does not devaluate the action when it is strategically placed within a comprehensive agenda and strategy of initiatives that promote social and economic progress as well as faith-based spiritual transformation. In short, it is a beginning, an introduction. For me personally to have been involved in the planning of this event and then look at automatic weapons, some with extended clips and silencers, sitting on a table and then calculate how many people can be killed by that one gun in the hands of a gang banger. When I think how much it cost NY taxpayers for each year ($50,000) of a prison sentence to lock up a young person but the same amount cannot be found to higher a teacher, create an internship, pay a living wage, educate, provide him and his family with a decent place to live, etc. as a result of being arrested for that one gun. When I think that the gun lying on the table is not pointed at me, nor will it be pointed at one of my family members or community members. As far as I am concern, it is a good step in the right direction. It is so easy to discuss the effectiveness of something if you do not have a personal investment in its success. For me, the gun buy back fueled my plans to open a career development, entrepreneural education and technology center in our church for children and their families. Conclusion, the next time our church is priviledged to do another event, we will be able to take the gun out of their hands and in exchange put something in their heads and hearts that will determine what their hands pick up next time.