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

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157 firearm can provide instant information about the history of the firearm. The use of bar codes has also been explored. Additional enhancements would include: • web-based registration and tracing; • web-based record-keeping for all manufactured, imported, exported and transferred firearms; • widespread and improved Integrated Ballistics Technology; • interoperability of tracing systems with other record-keeping systems such as fingerprint and DNA databases. 4.4.4 Inherent Impediments to an Effective Tracing System No matter which tracing system is adopted, there will remain for the foreseeable future a number of impediments to successful traces. These include: • the durability/longevity of firearms; • the transportability of firearms; • the large volume of extant firearms; • the complexity of firearms models and types of marking systems, requiring the reliance upon experts; • unmarked and improperly marked firearms; • obliterated or sanitized markings; • duplicate markings, or markings with unrecognizable symbols or letters; • unauthorized and hence unrecorded transfers; • stolen firearms; • lost, damaged, or expired records; • incompatibility of different tracing systems. 4.5 CONCLUSION In countering firearms crime and violence, the value of tracing cannot be underestimated. Tracing not only furnishes law enforcement with the means to help solve a single crime, but uncovers illicit trafficking networks that can prevent new crimes from occurring. As shown in this paper, any effective tracing system must include the cooperative efforts of government and industry, working under an umbrella of clear laws, regulations and
158 industry practices. An effective tracing system does involve obvious financial costs, but the costs avoided from crimes not committed must also be considered, along with the social costs of violent crime. Tracing is a key weapon in fighting the battle against firearms violence. Notes 1 Sometimes a distinction is made between a firearms trace and an investigative trace. A firearms trace is often a trace by means of existing records, either kept electronically or manually on paper. An investigative search is distinguished by personal interviews or other investigative contacts with those individuals who may have possessed the firearm after it left the recorded chain of commerce. Accordingly, an investigative trace is more time and resource intensive. It must also be noted that the tracing of firearms means tracing of crime guns. Guns are not ordinarily traced for commercial purposes but only in relation to a crime. Hence, one of the key reasons for tracing a firearm is to identify where the firearm was diverted from the legal to the illegal market. Such information is critical to prosecuting individuals who unlawfully possess or illicitly traffic firearms. 2 This paper assumes that, absent a global unitary tracing system (an unlikely prospect in at least the near future), an effective tracing system will be both impeded by (due to incompatibility of tracing systems) and assisted by other existing tracing systems. 3 Richard F. Grimmett, “CRS Report for Congress: Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations 1993-2000”, Congressional Research Service, p. 75, Table 8D, 16 August 2001. 4 In similar fashion, the US military maintains its own tracking and tracing system for its firearms. For example, the US Army has established a Central Registry for all small arms in the Department of Defense arsenal. This registration, which is accomplished ordinarily through serial numbers, can track the weapon over its lifetime. As a result, the military is able to determine, “Who had it last?” and “Where has it been?” 5 See, for example, Articles VII and VIII to the Protocol. Similar language is used to require marking and record-keeping systems in the Organization of American States’ Convention signed by the US. 6 See Article II, paragraphs 7 and 9.
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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
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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 and 168: 154 Canada, nearly all transfers re
Page 169: 156 accuracy and man-hour effective
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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
Page 219 and 220: 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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