Am I reading this wrong? A Washington DC councilman has introduced a bill allowing prosecutors to offer non-DC residents civil, as opposed to criminal penalties for possession of an unregistered firearm or ammunition in DC. This is in response to a number of recent cases where a tourist, or in one case a marine stopping for treatment at Walter Reed, was found with a firearm (legally owned and carried in the person's home state) and criminally charged. The bill would enable prosecutors to seek civil penalties with no criminal charges. Sounds like a step in the right direction, but what is shocking is that Josh Sugarman of the "Violence Policy Center" actually supports the bill as a "commendable attempt by the council to work with all sides of the gun control debate." WTF? It seems like a good sign that in a place as anti-gun as DC the politicians are growing tired of seeing unjust prosections for possesory offenses with no criminal intent.

 

 

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2012/09/dc-attorney-general-opposes-civil-penalties-for-out-of-towners-in-gun-cases.html

I suspect civil penalties will become very popular. In times of declining government revenues and a shrinking base of people who actually pay taxes, the government will get to loot your bank account and fill their coffers. Debtors prisons aren't far behind.

Don't think for one second NJ won't try something similar once they get smacked down in Federal court.

Civil penalties lower the burden of proof on the government. It also makes it less expensive for them to process and collect a hefty fine.

DC has to do something like that. I worked a job in the southeast ghetto for 3 years. We rebuilt 12 high schools there. After having a (im guessing) 10 year old pull a piece of crap revolver on me we decided something had to give. The next day someone stole a golf cart from the job and used it in a drive by shooting. When the cops finally showed up the first question they asked us is if we where armed. We all being from NJ answered no. We where told that we should be because of the hood we where working in and that it would be fine by them. They also told us that the local hood rats had them outgunned.

Scary stuff

I will never go to that crappy city again as long as I shall live.

Ken

edit - we didnt carry after that, being from NJ we where to scared to. The last thing anyone wanted was to wind up in a jail cell in that crappy place

I suspect civil penalties will become very popular. In times of declining government revenues and a shrinking base of people who actually pay taxes, the government will get to loot your bank account and fill their coffers. Debtors prisons aren't far behind.

 

^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^

 

I can see it now, a prosecutor will tell you that he can charge you criminally, or you can pay a $5000 fine and not have a criminal record.

 

Sounds like legalized extortion to me.

It will be similar to court costs for movers. Heavier fine instead of points. Do this for non violent offenders. I definitely can see this