AZ: Guns Not Seized in Domestic-Violence Cases

[WAGCEVP]

September 12, 2003

AZ: Guns Not Seized in Domestic-Violence Cases

Because 53.6 percent of the domestic-violence arrests in Arizona were
misclassified, offenders were allowed to possess guns after they were
arrested, the Arizona Republic reported Sept. 11.

An Arizona State University study found that of the 891 "aggravated
domestic violence" arrests made in Arizona from 2000 to 2002, 53.6 percent
were incorrectly designated as not being domestic-violence cases in court
proceedings.

Under the federal Lautenberg Law, anyone found guilty of a misdemeanor
domestic-violence offense or higher is prohibited from owning or
possessing firearms.

Dianne Post, a director for the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic
Violence, voiced concern about the error, especially considering that
Arizona has the second-highest rate in the country of women killed by men
with handguns.

Post said that the misclassification has minimized the issue of domestic
violence in the legislature, resulting in fewer funds for education and
prevention.

"Legislators look at the statistics and say, 'There's not much of a
problem.' We've known there was a problem for a long time, and now we have
the numbers to back that up," she said.

 

[Ala Dan]

I know of several police officer's with various department's
who were terminated when this law was passed! It's kind
of amazing that such act's like this are misclassified.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Standing Wolf]

Arizona has the second-highest rate in the country of women killed by men with handguns.

Nobody beats women who keep and bear arms.

 

[geekWithA.45]

Standing Wolf:

I believe you mean:

"No one beats an armed woman"

Rolls more trippingly from the tongue, no?

 

[Standing Wolf]

geekWithA.45:

I like your version better, except I'd use "nobody" rather than "no one," and I prefer the plural, which feels more inclusive.

Nobody beats armed women.

I'm still not sure it's quite all the way there yet, but it's on the way.

 

[Aikibiker]

Something I learned in school the other day:

When spouses kill their partner. Men tend to use their bare hands, while women tend to use a weapon, not necessarily a gun.

I don't know how accurate it is, we were discussing the Uniform Crime Report at the time, so the above information comes from government statistics.