Now that they have a convenient list, they can stake out these locations, wait for the residents to leave, and break in to begin their search for guns they know will be inside.
I know burglars may be low lifes, but they're also kind of lazy. The time it would take to thoroughly research a gun burglary could be sent going to another state and buying legal guns by the bundle.
Why would you ignore that this is a map? That's the point - the data is now conveniently visualized as a map...
Someone's permit could be for business, which means the handgun,if they even have one, may not even be at the house.
True. And your argument would be further strengthened if you pointed out that some of these are 5-year permits and some are lifetime permits. So, many of these individuals may have sold their guns, died, moved out of state, etc.
Or worse, it's conceal and carry
CCW permits are very, very difficult to get in New York.
I know burglars may be low lifes, but they're also kind of lazy. The time it would take to thoroughly research a gun burglary could be sent going to another state and buying legal guns by the bundle.
I have no idea how likely it is that criminals would use this data, only that it's now much more convenient for them to do so.
Obviously non-felons have a much easier time getting guns. People who steal guns or buy illegal guns usually aren't allowed to buy them, most likely because they are already felons.
- As you said, CCW is hard to get in NY, and many other states that are not shall-issue. In fact, to get a CCW permit in such a state, you often need political or business connections, which is why an accounting of who gets these favors is sometimes called for.
- I have no idea how likely it is that criminals would use this data, only that it's now much more convenient for them to do so.
Hello, you have just used the line of reasoning used by virtually every public information officer concerning virtually every type of public record: We don't know exactly how criminals will use it or have any empirical evidence showing that they systematically use such information, but just to be safe, we will not release this information
David Simon, a former cops reporter and creator of The Wire, wrote an excellent piece a few years ago about how the police hiding public records under the guise of safety helped cover-up a police officer's incompetence: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02...