Vancouver wants longer sentences for gun crime

by Rob Peters | December 17, 2007 at 12:26 pm

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But when public opinion is as strong as it is, guns are an easy issue for politicans to rally around (the family, with a pocket full of shells). The best policy isn't necessarily the best politics.

Results of the poll appear below the article.

In a Stratcom/24 hours poll, 61 per cent of respondents in B.C. strongly support a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for anyone convicted of illegally possessing a handgun.

Another 18.1 per cent of people somewhat support such a measure.

The response in Vancouver's neighbouring municipalities is even stronger, with 72.9 per cent of people strongly supporting a tougher illegal gun possession penalty.

With Vancouver police called to 21 murder scenes this year, Const. Tim Fanning said mandatory minimum sentences would strengthen officers' ability to take more thugs off city streets.

SFU criminology professor Dave MacAllister disagrees, calling mandatory sentences a simplistic response.

MacAllister said there is no research that proves guaranteed jail time has the desired deterrent effect on those at high-risk of committing a violent crime.

In fact, "research has been fairly consistent in showing there's either no effect or a very marginal small deterrent effect that disappears very quickly," he said.

"Looking at this from a political point of view, the numbers don't indicate if this is a good policy, but they do indicate this is good politics," said Bob Penner, president & CEO of Strategic Communications Inc.

Penner explained, 72.9 per cent of respondents from Vancouver's neighbouring municipalities who answered in "strong support" of mandatory minimums have an intense and unwavering desire for tougher laws to be enacted. For politicians to curry favour with this group of voters a token gesture against gunplay is crucial to secure support come election time.

The results of the poll:

At issue: Would you support or oppose a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for anyone convicted of illegally possessing a handgun?

- TOTAL SAMPLE

Strongly support - 61%

Somewhat support - 18.1%

Neither - 1.1%

Somewhat oppose - 10.7%

Strongly oppose - 6.1%

- VANCOUVER

Strongly support - 53.8%

Somewhat support - 21.2%

Neither - 0%

Somewhat oppose - 16.6%

Strongly oppose -1.8%

Interviews were conducted with 601 eligible B.C. voters, from Nov. 22 - 29, selected by the random household sampling method. The overall results are considered accurate to within four per cent 19 times in 20.