In 2013, the Maryland legislature passed the Firearm Safety Act. This law banned the sale of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. It also required those wanting to buy a handgun to submit fingerprints to the state police. Supporters of the law claimed it to a huge victory, and how it would reduce gun violence, particularly in Baltimore. However, evidence shows the exact opposite.
Back in 2017, The Trace reported that Baltimore police had confiscated more guns with magazine capacity over 10 rounds than before the passed. In fact, police reported that the popularity of these magazines had surged among criminals since being banned. The year before, 2016, was the city’s second deadliest at the time with 318 homicides. However, 2016 dropped to third place when the number of 2017 homicides tied with 2015; those years both reported 342 homicides.
Baltimore homicides dropped some in 2018, but were still 80 percent higher than 2014 numbers, according to a recent tweet by Justin Fenton with the Baltimore Sun. He claims that 2019 homicides are on pace to be higher than 2018. The Baltimore Sun Homicide tracker reports 143 murders this year, with 129 caused by firearms. This is even after more Maryland gun control laws passed. This includes a red flag law and a law requiring those convicted of domestic abuse to surrender guns to law enforcement or a firearms dealer.
Maryland Gun Control Laws Only Impact Law-Biding Citizens
Maryland might be nicknamed the Free State, it actually has some pretty strong gun laws. Of course, this hasn’t reduced gun violence, as only law-biding citizens follow laws; this includes gun laws.
More so, Maryland isn’t the only state with stringent gun laws and high violence rates, particularly in cities. California lawmakers have pretty much enacted every single gun law desired by anti-gunners, including universal background checks. However, these laws didn’t decrease violence crime. In fact, violent crime increased in 33 of the state’s 58 counties, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
Chicago also has violence crime issues, but could possibly turn around with the relaxation of gun laws. Both handguns and concealed carry are legal in the Windy City now, but not that many have taken advantage of the new laws.
Criminals, of course, keep breaking the gun laws regardless of where they live, but areas that make it harder for citizens to protect themselves only make it easier for the criminals.
