tracking guns

I believe in gun limits. I haven't learnt about this enough to take an extreme stand like calling for a ban on all personal fire arms. But I think I'll end up there, sooner or later. According to the NRA, there are 250 million guns in the USA. I can't see how that can be a good thing. Especially, given the statistics and studies (which are contentious, for sure) that show that most domestic guns kill people in the household - not strangers or intruders.

I heard a story on NPR recently about a couple of ideas to make gun control work. Both don't work. Not yet, at least.

Micro stamping: Micro stamping uses lasers to engrave an alphanumeric code on a weapon's firing pin. When the gun is fired, the pin stamps the code on the bullet cartridge before it is ejected. Police who collect cartridges at a crime scene would be able to use a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms database to match the code to the exact weapon that fired them.

California has already passed a law requiring all new semi-automatic pistols sold in the state from January 2010 to be micro stamped (else deemed "unsafe").

Problems with Micro stamping include unreliability (code can be illegible, especially, after some amount of use of the weapon), not being tamper-proof (some claim the stamp can be obliterated with in minutes using only house-hold tools), cost (to manufacturers and in maintaining the computer database), the fact that cartridge cases can't be recovered many times (apparently many guns don't automatically eject the cases), that crime guns are illegal or old or both anyway, and the theory that it'll increase gun thefts.

Ballistic Markings Database: The second idea is the creation of a national database of images of toolmarks from all new guns sold in the U.S. The toolmarks, as any one who's watched a T.V. cop show knows, are akin to fingerprints for a gun, left on the bullets or cases fired from that gun.

Maryland and New York already operate such databases for guns sold or manufactured in those states.

We can expect many of the same objections to this method as with microstamping. In addition, and more importantly, a recent study found that the science behind the theory that each gun leaves an unique toolmark is not solid. The study also pointed out that the imaging and matching technology is not good enough, and will throw up too many false positives to be of practical use.

Fair enough.

However, I just can't believe that technology can be the main stumbling block for a viable gun control scheme to be implemented. Living in the silicon valley, I can't conceive of a situation where it's the computer algorithms and imaging technology that are the limitations. Surely, if there is an incentive to innovate, it'll be done. Keeping the politics aside for a moment, why are there no such incentives for us, the hi-techers? Isn't this a fantastic opportunity to do good? If we can come up with a cheap, effective solution, I am sure the consumers and the public will be willing to pay for it. Even if the politics is the main problem (and a turn-off for the innovators), I am sure there are smart people who can out-wit the politicians and the gun-lobby. Companies and VCs who do community outreach, employer match charity programs and what not, can fund this venture.

So, how about a non-profit silicon valley startup to solve the gun control problem?