While Democrats in states like Minnesota, Virginia, and Rhode Island are making lawful gun owners the focus of their public safety efforts by trying to criminalize the ownership and possession of commonly owned arms, Republicans in Mississippi are taking a different approach to fighting crime: focusing on the criminals themselves.
On July 1, the same day Virginia’s new ban on “assault firearms” and “large capacity” magazines is set to take effect, Mississippi’s SB 2710 will also be in full force. Folks in Jackson, Hattiesburg, and other communities will still be able to purchase 20-round magazines and AR-15s if they want, but those who use a stolen gun in the commission of a violent crime and juveniles who commit violent offenses with firearms will be facing new consequences for their actions.
State Sen. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, said the bill was developed after law enforcement agencies and local leaders raised concerns about youth violence involving firearms.
“That was their priority for this legislative session … was to try to figure out a way to curb or try to restrict the amount of increase in youthful violence as it relates to use of deadly weapons,” Fillingane said.
Senate Bill 2710 moves certain firearm-related cases involving minors from youth court to circuit court. Those cases include violent crimes, possession or trafficking of stolen firearms, drive-by shootings or other firearm crimes, and illegal firearm possession tied to felonies.
Fillingane said the bill also strengthens penalties for people who possess, sell or transfer stolen guns, or traffic multiple stolen firearms.
“The days of allowing young people — underage folks — to get away with very violent crimes using deadly weapons in Mississippi has ended. We are no longer going to tolerate anybody, whether you’re over 21 or under 21.”
Part of me would prefer to see the juvenile justice system completely overhauled, not just in Mississippi but nationwide, to impose tougher penalties on minors who commit violent offenses, but I think SB 2710 is still a step in the right direction. It’s become far too common to see juveniles let off with a slap on the wrist or punishments that amount to a judge-imposed grounding for serious crimes, including using stolen cars to smash into gun stores and steal as many firearms as they can.
Hopefully these new penalties will have an impact on juvenile offenders. It may take a bit for young criminals to realize that the days of going to juvenile court and getting a probationary sentence for a violent assault are over, but if the state is consistent in applying the new law it should make a difference and discourage some teens (and tweens) from heading down the wrong path in life.
There is one other consideration, though. Matt Pelham, general manager at the Lead Dispensary in Hattiesburg, pointed out that often adult gang members will use juveniles to commit gun shop smash-and-grabs precisely because the punishment for juveniles is often lighter than what adults would face. These gang members may still continue to rely on youngsters to commit these crimes in an attempt to avoid catching charges themselves, so it’ll be important for prosecutors to try to move up the chain of command and get indictments for higher-ups in these gangs whenever possible as well.
SB 2710 isn’t a magic bullet, and it won’t end gang violence in Mississippi all by itself. Still, it’s likely to have a much bigger effect than any gun control law that targets lawful gun owners, and I’m glad to see Mississippi lawmakers are addressing crime by going after the criminals themselves.
Editor’s Note: The radical Left will stop at nothing to enact their radical gun control agenda and strip us of our Second Amendment rights.
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