Is There a Place in Our Society for Smart Gun Technology? Can It Stop Accidental Shootings?
Gun violence has soared out of control over the last decade, and more significantly in the last couple of years. It has been estimated that since mid-April, there have been at least 23 people who have been shot and killed accidentally by a toddler between the ages of 1 and 3 years of age. Most of the cases involve a toddler fatally shooting themselves while playing with a found gun. Florida has experienced 6 of the 23 shootings, tying it with Michigan in fourth place for the highest number of accidental shooting incidents involving toddlers. Georgia has the highest number of toddler shootings.
With so many accidental (and intentional) shootings plaguing the United States, there is a call to consider the best way to limit the number of accidental shootings, especially when facing the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
The White House’s Push Toward “Smart Gun Technology”
The White House and several others have made a push toward “smart guns” and “smart gun technology” being introduced into our nation’s gun supply. The Obama administration outlined and revealed its plan it would like to put in place to research and develop smart gun technology that would keep guns in the right hands: in particular, the intended owners.
How Does “Smart Gun” Technology Work?
Smart gun technology is a device placed on a firearm that serves as an extra safety lock on the weapon and only permitting those who own the gun to fire it. In other words, the gun would have a scanner that would detect the user’s fingerprint, and if a match was found, the smart gun technology would authorize the user to shoot the gun. The smart gun technology has also grown into a proximity-based device, where if the owner of the gun is wearing a bracelet or ring or has the device close enough to the gun, it would permit the gun to be fired. The smart gun technology does not authorize the gun to shoot without the proximity device or the matching fingerprint.
The new White House program has placed the plan into the market, offering monetary incentives to companies that are willing to research and innovate smart gun technology that is either included in newly manufactured guns or can be added on to existing guns.
The Issues Surrounding Smart Guns
The current technology leaves much desired. The main issue stems from the fact that smart guns have been found to be unreliable, where a fingerprint sensors either report a false positive or false negatives. This could be deadly, argued by those opponents of smart-gun technology, for those law enforcement officers in the line of duty attempting to use their weapons.
Would Gun Buyers Be Interested in Smart Gun Technology?
There is also a question regarding whether there is a significant market for this type of product. Though smart gun technology is beneficial for homes where there are children present and could limit the number of accidental shootings in theory, there is consideration that there may be little to no demand for this technology. A repeated sentiment regarding this technology deals with the fact that those who want this smart gun technology to exist are the people who won’t buy guns in the first place. To make this marketable, gun buyers have to find the product desirable enough for them to make the switch.
Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney in Fort Lauderdale
Smart gun technology is one attempt to resolve the rising trend of gun violence in the United States. In Florida, parents may be criminally liable for an accidental shooting caused by their child. It is important to speak with an experienced defense attorney like Kevin J. Kulik if your child has been involved in an accidental shooting. Contact Kevin J. Kulik today for a free and confidential consultation in the Fort Lauderdale area.
