Why do People Choose to Own Illegal Firearms?
September 6, 2023
The general consensus is that it’s impossible to know precisely how many illegal guns are on the streets. But when it comes to gun control, the tension between coercive and relaxed laws is partly owed to the fact that the bulk of legal gun owners don’t abuse their right or privilege to own and operate a gun. What this means is that current challenges around gun violence, particularly in local communities with targeted shootings, are strongly linked to illegal gun ownership. This point gives rise to two important questions: 1) if the bulk of guns start off in legal markets and are operated by legal owners, how is it that illegal gun ownership is the main problem given that access is legally regulated? And 2) why do people feel the need to own illegal firearms?
The answer to the first question is simple. Legal firearms are often stolen or, first purchased by legal owners with the intention to sell it illegally. The answer to the second question, however, is more complex. Being so, this piece is focused on why people feel the need to own and use illegal firearms. I use three broad categories to unpack the impetus for illegal gun possession. I consider these categories to be protection, profit motive, and criminal activity. Each of these will be discussed in greater detail below as we seek to understand the landscape of violent crime to evaluate current gun policies.
Protection
General use of a firearm for protection suggests there is some form of imminent or potential danger. But when it comes to illegal gun ownership, the question is, what is the imminent or potential danger that people need protection from? Here I’ve turned to rap music for an accurate explanation to this question, as it helps to paint a picture of what danger in various environments might look like.
As a caveat, when I speak about rap music there’s often the critique of its ‘malignant nature’. In several instances the lyrical content and imagery of rap music has been vilified by large pockets of media because of the belief that it parades and promotes gun culture and violence. In some instances—though arguably unintentional—this holds true. In other instances, I consider lyrical references to guns and violence as intimate narrations of personal thought processes, experiences, and observations in the projects, low-income, and criminally organized environments. For better or worse, when it comes to illegal gun ownership, I think it provides a glimpse of the rationale and perceived need for it in the projects—at least for some.
If we look at the lyrics referenced from Roddy Ricch, he offers an explanation for illegal possession. As a Black youth growing up in the streets of Compton, Roddy had a mentality many youth in similar circumstances have. Prominent in these environments among some street involved youth and young men is early death. For this reason Jay Z famously rapped, “There’s a different set of rules we abide by here, you need a gun, n***** might drive-by here.” His word choice suggests a gun is a need because someone may do a drive-by, indicating that the imminent or potential danger referenced above is death by way of street involvement or criminal activity. For this reason there’s a persistent belief that street involved youth and young men in the Black community are lucky to live past 25. This is evident in the lyrics of Meek Mill who rapped, “When they drop that casket all in the ground, who gon’ save me? How could you blame me? When I’m tryna stay alive and just survive and beat them odds when n***** die by twenty-five.” A similar sentiment can be pulled from Jay Z when he rapped, “I asked her where she wanna be when she 25, she turned around and looked at me and said “alive”.”
Ultimately, what this all points to is that one of the general justifications for illegal gun ownership is protection. Specifically, this means guns are used for safety, self-defense, and at times, offensive actions to send a message. Indeed the mere idea that untrained and unhinged people possess illegal firearms is troubling as the repercussions and impact on the community is great. From a community safety and wellness perspective, knowledge that illegal firearms are being used in someone’s community creates paranoia and fear. The unfortunate reality is that illegal gun owners don’t critically think about the impact on the community. They carry an illegal gun because they’re likely involved in activities that cause imminent danger to themselves. As such, in the scenario that they are attacked or even see a perceived threat, their own survival takes precedence over that of others that stand in their way.
Some who operate in these ways may argue they were forced into particular lifestyles for survival. They may argue that to no fault of their own, their familial ties to street involved people made them a target. Others may argue that their environment was void of opportunities and resources, leading them to get involved in a chain of activities out of perceived necessity. From a safety perspective they’ll say that cooperating with the police may put a bigger target on individuals, and given that there is a constant threat in these lifestyles, possessing a gun might actually help them survive, preventing people from random attacks or enabling people to defend themselves in an attack, and potentially transitioning in their later years to a moral citizens of value that can help others in similar situations. But again, the larger effects of individual safety by use of an illegal firearm is the harm caused to community.
The reality is all of these actions breed senseless acts of violence. However, in some instances some may say that the safety from possessing an illegal firearm comes from the fact that others in their community—people who may dislike you or desire to harm you because of how you look, dress, or where you come from—own one. There’s a contagious effect when one person owns one. It produces a survival of the fittest mentality where the mere fact that someone else owns a gun and is willing to use it means that you should as well, if you want to live longer or not be bullied, that is.
This was the case for Stanley “Tookie” Williams—the founder of the Crips gang in California. In his book he retold stories of how crew fights would happen in various places, much of it driven by ego, drugs, and neighbourhood rivalries. In many of these instances he indicated that his crew was simply too strong for others, winning every battle. Being tired of losing, his opposition decided to buy a gun for the next time that they saw them, giving them an advantage. Ultimately this meant that his crew also needed a gun. And here, the contagion of needing one because the other possessed one began. As the street politics of violence, rivalry, and death became deeper and deeper, it became extremely complex, where neighbourhoods were shaped by generational issues. And for some, knowing the workings of street politics, they will use their firearms for offensive attacks as opposed to waiting to be attacked and potentially killed.
Indeed, counter perspectives would suggest moving out of these neighbourhoods or avoiding places that where violent encounters may happen are better resolutions. Certainly it is better for the community. But often, these aren’t feasible options for families due to the costs of moving, distances to travel to work, and probationary and surety location restrictions. These options are further restricted when you realize the places that should be avoided are the very places people need to go to in order to better themselves to get out of the neighbourhood. This is particularly relevant for schools, where an education is needed to progress, but the people one may need to avoid are there. For others, despite their best efforts to remain out of trouble, they may be bullied or robbed because they’re isolated or aren’t grouped with others who are willing to use violence. The combined effects of these will, for some, lead them to turn to owning a gun. I want to stress this isn’t indicative of all contexts. But I can say this is certainly the experience and perspective for some.
Profit Motive
The second reason for illegal gun ownership is the profit motive. Gun trafficking, whether through single or mass sales, can be extremely lucrative. This is particularly the case in moving guns across state and national boundaries where strict gun laws in one location may increase demand on the underground market from relaxed gun law locations. To further understand the profit motive, consider this video from Vice TV which unpacks the black market for guns. In this video a gun runner explains that there’s a lucrative market for buying guns in Atlanta and bringing them to New York to be sold. We can also look at this video which explains how guns are bought in Texas and smuggled into Canada, flooding the streets because of the massive markup and profit that can be made. In some instances police have noted that guns can be purchased in the U.S. for $200-$300 and sold on the streets in Canada for up to $3000. Again, this is because the relaxed laws in Texas allow individuals to privately sell their guns online. Often when the in-person deal is done, no questions are asked about ID or permits. In many circumstances this lack of due diligence is seen in gun shows which private sellers use as a source of income. The Canadian government recognizes this is an issue. In fact, 751 guns were seized at the Canada-U.S. border during the 2017-18 fiscal year as Americans sought to make a profit, and Canadians sought to circumvent strict gun laws in Canada. The motivation for profit may vary. Some see it as a scheme to get rich quickly. Others view it as a source of income if they believe they are unlikely to get a good job, or see little opportunities in their communities.
Criminal Activity
When I say criminal activity, indeed, trafficking guns and illegally owning a firearm with the intention to use it on others are criminal offences. However, that’s not what I mean here. Criminal activity in this context points to people who own guns to rob and steal, or use them as essentials in the drug trade. In each situation the gun provides added cachet. For example, when robbing or stealing, a gun creates a noticeable difference in the attitudes of victims, making them more likely to oblige than to fight because of the lethality of the gun. In the drug trade it adds a level of protection but also respect in personal dealings. But with criminal activity, the overarching theme is that it helps people to get exactly what they want, in most cases, when they ask for it. It gives people the power to leverage and manipulate situations in their favour.
Final Thoughts
Taken together, it would seem that any gun control legislation that aims to minimize illegal gun ownership must further interrogate the driving force for guns in relation to protection, profit, and criminal activity. Ultimately, this means any response must consider the direct and indirect ways to reduce the flow of guns and gun violence, but also understand what evidence-based approaches cities, provinces, and states can practically do with an actual effect.
In the next chapter we look to understand the legal reasons for gun ownership. Coupled with the research on illegal gun ownership, we’ll use these understandings as the foundation for our analysis on effective gun control measures.
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