A National Firearms Database: Will It Stop The Guns?
As investigations into the Martin Place siege continue to unfold, one of the key concerns is how the shooter Man Haron Monis got his hands on a gun. In the wake of the siege, the federal government is fast-tracking a...
The Boston Bomber Death Penalty: Justice?
On 15 April 2013, a terrorist act took place that would alter the images that come to mind when we hear of the Boston Marathon. Three people were killed and hundreds were injured when two pressure-cooker bombs used exploded near...
City Pays People Not to Commit Crimes – And It’s Working!
What do you think about taxpayers paying repeat offenders not to commit crimes? It may sound strange, but this is just what one US town has been doing. The district of Richmond in San Francisco Bay has employed an unusual...
Should Police and Media be Charged for Dangerous Leaks?
In January, six terrified people hid in the cool room of a Paris supermarket while a gunman prowled around the store, planning his next move. The gunman had already killed four people and taken others hostage. He didn’t know that...
Do Police Need More Weapons to Deal with ‘Lone Wolf’ Attacks?
For many of us, the memories of watching the Sydney siege unfold are still fresh in our minds. Three people lost their lives when the saga culminated in a deadly shooting in the early hours of December 16 last year...
Banning Semi-Automatic Handguns: A Good or Bad Thing?
An enquiry looking at whether or not to ban semi-automatic handguns has met with resistance from a number of shooting and firearms collectors clubs in NSW. The clubs have raised concerns about the potential ban of these weapons, warning that...
Mastermind Behind Silk Road Convicted on All Charges
American web developer Ross Ulbricht was this week convicted on seven Federal charges, including trafficking drugs on the internet, computer hacking and money laundering. Following a three-week long trial, a jury found that the 30-year-old had planned, created and run...
Biting the Bullet: Should Bulletproof Vests be Legalised?
The spate of recent shootings across New South Wales has re-ignited debate about Australia’s tough weapons restrictions. Some have advocated a more liberal approach to gun laws, going as far to say that if staff in the Lindt café siege...
Police Recruits Inadequately Trained to Use Firearms
The police are supposed to keep our streets safer but recent reports have suggested that police recruits are being allowed to work without sufficient training in basic safety procedures and the lawful use of firearms. It has been suggested that...
Fatal Police Shootings – Is More Weapons Training Needed?
On the 9th of August this year, Darren Wilson, a police officer in the city of Ferguson, Missouri, shot and killed 18-year-old African-American Michael Brown following an altercation on the street. The incident sparked anger and unrest within the community...
