The Scope and Implications of a Tracing Mechanism for Small Arms ...

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155 4.3.4 Local, Regional, or National Tracing Centers Tracing requires easy and prompt access to a large amount of firearms information. This access is efficiently accomplished by the centralization of records, either at the local, regional or national level. This can also be accomplished by coordination of a firearms trace by a single entity, regardless of where the records are maintained, provided the single entity has the means to immediately access the available records. ATF has established Regional Crime Gun Centers across the country. The Centers use a three-pronged strategy to reduce violent crime. The first strategy is to act as a central point to acquire information and intelligence. This involves the collection of ballistics and arrest reports involving crime guns for a specific area. The second strategy is the analysis of information and intelligence generated from the trace information along with the ballistics and arrest/complaint information. The third strategy is to function as a clearinghouse for requests and assistance to any federal, state, or local enforcement agency. 4.4 LOW-, MIDDLE- AND HIGH-COST OPTIONS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF EFFECTIVE FIREARMS TRACING SYSTEM AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS 4.4.1 Construction of a “Bare Bones” Tracing Mechanism At a minimum, any effective tracing system must have four components: • marking of all firearms at the time of manufacture; • recording those markings at the point of manufacture and resale; • making access to those records available to law enforcement; • basic import/export controls. This “bare bones” system in its earliest stage of evolution is not particularly costly. First, most modern firearms are already marked at the time of manufacture. 10 Marking is achieved at a relatively low cost (estimated at a fraction of 1% of the cost of a firearm) and serves other purposes beyond traces (tax collection, inventory, quality control). Second, the recording can be done on paper, but it is recommended, for greater
156 accuracy and man-hour effectiveness, to record data in a computer (whose costs are reasonable for all manufacturers). Third, providing access to these records is of minimal cost to the manufacturer/wholesaler/dealer, but will require some expense for law enforcement or regulatory agencies to access the records (by phone, fax, or computer, or by mail or personal visitation). Finally, any effective training system requires that States establish minimal controls relating to the movement of uncontrolled firearms across their borders through a State. 4.4.2 A “Middle of the Road” Tracing System Enhancements to “bare-bones” tracing systems can exponentially improve the tracing process and data retrieval capabilities. Such enhancements can include the following features: • centralization of records; • computerizing records; • inauguration of data collection on used guns that have re-entered the commercial market; • collection of crime gun data; • expansion of access of law enforcement to the records. Cost estimates of these enhancements naturally vary with the size and scope of the State in question, but the largest expense would be in the transition from paper records to computer storage systems. ATF’s process of digitizing paper records from out-of-business licensees will be fairly costly (approximately US$15 million). The other enhancements are less costly but require legislative and regulatory changes. 4.4.3 A “Gold Standard” Tracing Mechanism A third option would involve the use of all available technologies and resources to enhance the tracing process. There are several marking innovations now available, though they are cost-prohibitive for general use. These technologies might be called “infomarking” (i.e., a general procedure in which the markings could provide a tremendous amount of information that is readily recorded or recordable). For example, the use of computer chips within a component part of the
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UNIDIR/2002/20 The Scope and Implic
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CONTENTS Page Preface. . . . . . .
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v Chapter 4 Structures and Institut
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viii point of diversion, thus inhib
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ACRONYMS ATFUS BATF BPA CFR CFR CIC
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xiii VIN WFSA WIES WR Vehicle Ident
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2 and lines of supply of illicit SA
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4 First, if a weapon has been invol
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6 The UN Programme of Action includ
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8 1.3 MARKING 1.3.1 Introduction A
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10 uniquely identify each productio
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12 • Ensure, at the time of trans
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14 • increasing the resistance of
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16 The UN Firearms Protocol, in its
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18 component of this project is to
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20 They clarify whether a weapon is
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22 Though such systems have great p
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24 have a more prominent role to pl
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26 That said, national intelligence
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28 training and technical assistanc
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30 This highlights one of the most
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32 An international tracing mechani
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34 Some of the necessary elements a
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36 on sources and lines of supply o
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38 In promoting international assis
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40 3 Programme of Action to Prevent
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42 25 This section draws on discuss
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45 BIBLIOGRAPHY Berkol, Ilhan, Mark
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CHAPTER 2 WHAT TO MARK AND WHAT TO
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49 tracing method for all SALW (con
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51 Figure 2: : The different sub-ca
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53 In order to better grasp the pro
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55 SALW include weapons of war, def
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57 The following questions should t
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59 All of this data, while useful f
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61 2.5 WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR IN
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63 traced, but which ones? Precisel
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65 Table 1: Firearms recovered in c
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67 explosives belts and dozens of t
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69 This data provides an interestin
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71 weapons belonging to illicit cir
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73 imagine being able to effectivel
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75 case of Switzerland, it would be
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77 electronics in animal identifica
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79 based our reflection on goals fo
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81 10 Small Arms Survey, Annuaire s
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APPENDIX 1 83
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APPENDIX 3 85
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87 the army weapon is capable of au
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90 significance, hence in general t
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92 3.1.2 Sanitization Removal or ob
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94 Chinese Type 56-1 Unique Identif
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96 verify that the imported weapons
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98 weapons. There are risks involve
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100 China Type 56 Russia AK47 Russi
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102 channels, with the protection o
Page 117 and 118: 104 3.1.9 Comments Countries seekin
Page 119 and 120: 106 as a result, potentially tip-of
Page 121 and 122: 108 2. All markings must be made pe
Page 123 and 124: 110 shared encryption standard. The
Page 125 and 126: 112 Domestic record-keeping varies
Page 127 and 128: 114 Nevertheless, whilst the Wassen
Page 129 and 130: 116 individual weapon, should as a
Page 131 and 132: 118 • “Consolidation”—4 x 2
Page 133 and 134: 120 With the scope of the Protocol
Page 135 and 136: 122 The South African authorities a
Page 137 and 138: 124 • (Tracing) Details of all st
Page 139 and 140: 126 tracing Chinese weapons. Conseq
Page 141 and 142: 128 circulating information by fax
Page 143 and 144: 130 Tracing requests are normally c
Page 145 and 146: 132 encourage countries along the t
Page 147 and 148: 134 close enough to provide adequat
Page 149 and 150: 136 3. If Interpol is not up to the
Page 151 and 152: 138 which restrict the amount of in
Page 153 and 154: 140 9 It was notable during negotia
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Page 157 and 158: 144 There are other reasons as well
Page 159 and 160: 146 Laws Firearms are a durable com
Page 161 and 162: 148 This last point should not be u
Page 163 and 164: 150 the future a firearm tracing qu
Page 165 and 166: 152 There are several important ele
Page 167: 154 Canada, nearly all transfers re
Page 171 and 172: 158 industry practices. An effectiv
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Page 175 and 176: 162 manner in national (and possibl
Page 177 and 178: 164 routine stockpile management. A
Page 179 and 180: 166 International regulations on th
Page 181 and 182: 168 2. The definitions of weapons,
Page 183 and 184: 170 enable national authorities to
Page 185 and 186: 172 serial number of the firearm. T
Page 187 and 188: 174 9. Explosives: the recommendati
Page 189 and 190: 176 • The States parties undertak
Page 191 and 192: 178 • The following is establishe
Page 193 and 194: 180 International regulations on th
Page 195 and 196: 182 • The participating States ag
Page 197 and 198: 184 The Convention on Plastic Explo
Page 199 and 200: 186 5.3.1 European Joint Action The
Page 201 and 202: 188 years in July 2001. In December
Page 203 and 204: 190 • States must make efforts to
Page 205 and 206: 192 a greater degree of harmonizati
Page 207 and 208: 194 this may lead to the undesirabl
Page 209 and 210: 196 28 Or at least difficult or imp
Page 211 and 212: 198 49 Speech by Mr. Koffi Adjouman
Page 213 and 214: 200 in its capacity as President of
Page 215 and 216: 202 Table 1: Scope of the Seven Pri
Page 217 and 218: 204 Table 1 (continued) Characteris
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206 Characteristics of the marking
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208 Characteristics of the marking
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210 Characteristics of the recordke
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212 Characteristics of the record-k
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214 Table 4: Comparison of the Stan
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216 Characteristics of the exchange
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218
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