Report calls for further 'ghost gun' creak-down
New Jersey already has strict gun control laws
By: Kyle Morel
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... A report calls for New Jersey to strengthen its already stringent gun control laws to combat the creation of illegal privately made weapons.
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The report from the State Commission of Investigation, released Tuesday, [09/10/2024] suggests that criminal laws be updated to outlaw the possession of 3D printing plans used to make so-called "ghost guns,' which have no serial number and are therefore untraceable. It also calls for the banning of devices that can turn semi-automatic firearms into "rapid-firing machine guns," said an SCI press release.
..... "The commission's findings demonstrate that homemade ghost guns and gun conversion devices are becoming easier and easier for bad actors to obtain, posing a clear and significant danger to New Jersey citizens," said agency Chair Tiffany Williams Brewer.
..... "While New Jersey has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country, the commission is recommending that the state adopt additional measures to address the largest technological advance now fueling gun violence in our committees."
..... An SCI investigation into firearm trends in the state found a significant increase in the use of homemade conversion devises, known as "switches." The devices are no larger than a Lego block and can be purchased on the black market for as little as $20 to $40 each, The press release said.
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The investigation also revealed how easily the public can find 3D printing plans Online to build ghost guns and other firearms accessories. It is already illegal in New Jersey to print the weapons and attachments, but there is no state law against possessing the plans, the SCI said.
..... The agency found that a small number of guns were "driving a large share of the violence" in many New Jersey towns, the release said.
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For example, ballistics data revealed that the same gun was linked to 10 separate Paterson shootings over a 12-month period.
..... Some municipalities have enacted ordinances criminalizing "the reckless or intentional public discharge of a weapon,: the SCI said, but there is no state law regarding public firearms discharges.
..... The
commission further recommended that police receive additional training to identify gun conversion devices and printing plans. It also suggested that New Jersey consider allowing extensions of pretrial detention hearings for alleged gun offenders pending the results of ballistics analysis.
..... The report comes after New Jersey saw the lowest number of shootings in nearly 15 years in 2023, Governor Phil Murphy said in hist State of the State address this year. [2024]
..... The governor attribute, the downturn to "historic funding of community-based crime prevention efforts, as well as the strong existing gun safety laws and the relationship between law enforcement and the general public.
..... "As a result, we are saving lives and making New Jersey a safer place to raise a family," Murphy said.
..... The full SCI report on illegal weapons is available on the agency's website.