More Mentally Ill Barred From Buying Guns

Database Has Doubled In Past Three Months, But 18 States Still Not Participating

(AP)  A federal list of mentally ill people barred from buying guns has doubled in size since the Virginia Tech shootings, and U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey encouraged more states Thursday to add information to the database.

In his first policy speech since taking over as attorney general early this month, Mukasey said states have now reported 393,957 mentally ill people to the federal database used to screen the backgrounds of potential gun-buyers. As of last July, three months after the Virginia Tech shootings, states had submitted only 174,863 names to the database.

“Instant background checks are essential to keeping guns out of the wrong hands, while still protecting the privacy of our citizens,” Mukasey said.

“But as we learned in the tragedy at Virginia Tech, the checks must be accurate and complete to be effective,” Mukasey told the National Association of Attorneys General. “We're making progress, and I hope that even more states will submit this information so that the national instant background check system can be maximally effective.”

People are included in the federal database only after courts or other authorities have found them to have mental health problems, Justice Department officials said. Federal agencies, including the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments, also submit names, but the Justice Department could not immediately say how many.

Currently, 32 states submit names to the mental health database, and the federal government cannot force the other 18 to follow suit.

“We've got 32, it'd be nice to have 50,” Mukasey said.

Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and himself in the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history. He bought two guns - a Glock 9mm at a Virginia store and a .22-caliber pistol over the Internet - despite a special justice's 2005 order to get outpatient treatment for being a danger to himself. There has been no indication that Cho ever received the treatment.

Had his court order been submitted to the federal database, Cho likely would have been unable to buy the guns.

Private mental health records, including diagnosis documents from hospitals or insurance companies, are not accessed or submitted to the database. Overall, more than 5 million people are identified in the background check system that is maintained by the FBI and also tracks the names of illegal immigrants, domestic violence offenders and others who are barred from buying guns.

Despite Cho's gun purchases, Virginia traditionally has submitted far more names of mentally ill people to the federal database than other states, Justice data show. Shortly after the Virginia Tech shootings, officials said the state had given 81,233 names to the FBI. Michigan had the second-largest submission of names then, with 73,382, the Justice data show.

By comparison, California had submitted only 27 names of mentally ill people to the database as of April 30. Since then, the state has given more than 200,000 names to the list, Justice officials said.

National Rifle Association spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said the gun-rights group has no problem with the database.

“It has always been our position that whoever has been adjudicated as mentally defective or deemed to be a danger to themselves, others or suicidal, that their name be included in the national incident check system,” he said.

Ron Honberg, legal director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, was not surprised that more states are reporting since the Virginia Tech shooting. “We're uneasy about it,” he said. “We're concerned that in the minds of many, mental illness is, per se, equated with violence.”

The list could have the names of people who were ill decades ago but have received treatment and are well, or information from the database could be used for unintended purposes, Honberg said.

“It frustrates us that when tragedies like Virginia Tech occur, the focus is on guns and not how somebody like Cho falls through the cracks,” Honberg said.

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, a Democrat, said he was pleased to hear Mukasey urging greater cooperation among states.

He said Arizona was one of the first to submit mental-health records. He wants the federal government to consider relaxing some privacy laws so colleges would have access to the records. “Obviously, privacy has to be considered, but we have some harmful powder kegs out there who are older than 18,” Goddard said.

The attorneys general from 33 states gave Mukasey's speech polite applause. Several of the top state lawyers told reporters afterward that Mukasey's biggest challenge will be restoring morale in the Justice Department.

“I think having a new attorney general will help tremendously,” said Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett, a Republican appointee. “I think many of my colleagues agree he commands enormous respect.”

Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, a Republican, said that Mukasey, in a private meeting with some of the attorneys general, said fighting terrorism and combating violent crime would be among his top priorities.

Wasden said Mukasey did not talk about the legality of waterboarding, a brutal interrogation technique that creates the sensation of drowning.

[erasmus6]

"WAIT A MINUTE! You''''re CANADIAN! You don''''t HAVE the same constitutional rights I have." posted by bhappy2-2

You see, you Americans think it is your constitutional right to own a gun, we think it is stupidity.

We don''t have to own a gun because we have nothing to defend ourselves from.

[michellem99-2009]

I used to feel safe growing up.erasmus6 is right here. There is no need for the guns. Gangs have taken over. erasmus I asked a person what he/she do if guns were taken away The answer *Make them*.

[erasmus6]

"1,440 French pages for Guns for sale (in Canada)
391 French pages for Guns wanted (in Canada)" posted by ToolMangler

First off you need to get your information from reputable sources. Most aren''t and even if this was true, it is a very little amount.


"Breathing is hazardous to you health in Canada."

Hahaha, that is funny. There ain''t a lot of people living that far up north.

Walking down the streets and in parks is hazardous to your health in the U.S.

Going to the hospital is hazardous to your health in the U.S.

Hell, just sitting in your own home is hazardous to your health in the U.S.

[toolmangler-2009]

Breathing is hazardous to you health in Canada.
It has been determined that breathing is the greatest cause of lung damage in Canada (especially external air) in the Northern most areas. Frozen lungs are the culprit, All outside breathing should be banned and people prohibited from going outside without wearing heated oxygen masks and Snowmobile suits.

[toolmangler-2009]

1,440 French pages for Guns for sale (in Canada)
391 French pages for Guns wanted (in Canada)

[toolmangler-2009]

I just Googled this

670,000 English pages for guns for sale.
327,000 English pages for guns wanted


And you think laws are going to stop gun crimes? Grow up.

[erasmus6]

kindrox

"Take cars away, they killed someone today. Take swimming pools away, someone died in one today."

This is the typical response from a gun lover. People that are obsessed with their guns will come up with any excuse they can find.

There is a big difference between someone with a gun that is killing people and someone that is killed by a car or drowning.

"Your violent crime rate is going up. Ours is going down."

Our violent crime rate is going down. YOURS is going up and always will be. You can''t have the vast majority of people walking around with guns and not have it go up.

I suggest you start researching your country. I have found many Americans no nothing about their country. There was a link on this website, which I will try to find again, which tells all the statistics of crime and gun crime in your country. I suggest you read it. It mosts states gun crime has gone up not down.

[erasmus6]

gunownerdan

"Millions of civilians legally own guns in Canada. For some reason you seem to think no one but the Canadian police have guns but that''''s just not the case."

Yes, there are people in certain areas that probably own a gun. I live close to a big city and my daughters live in the city and we have no problems. We don''t have any fear at all and that is because the vast majority of people DON''T have guns. People don''t have guns in their homes, cars or on themselves.

When guns are the answer to all your problems and are a big part of your life you can expect more violence. It changes your mentality.


"I actually heard recently that the Canadian government is considering loosening a gun restriction."

You Americans need to be more careful about where you get your information because usually it is wrong. You barely know what is going on in your own country, never mind anyone elses.

[kindrox]

erasmus6,

One guy gets shot, and so no woman should be allowed to have a gun to defend herself, no homosexuals, no business owners, nobody. Because one guy got shot.

Take cars away, they killed someone today. Take swimming pools away, someone died in one today.

Maybe you need to spend more time on Canada boards. Your violent crime rate is going up. Ours is going down.

But when push comes to shove we will find out that you are not about saving lives, you are about attempting to control others.

[gunownerdan]

erasmus6,
Millions of civilians legally own guns in Canada. For some reason you seem to think no one but the Canadian police have guns but that''s just not the case.
I actually heard recently that the Canadian government is considering loosening a gun restriction.
And for some reason, you seem to think dangerous criminals will be first in line to hand over their guns if they are banned.
Quite the opposite.
By definition a criminal does not obey laws so if you ban guns, criminals and cops will be the only people who have them. Gun control only effect law abiding citizens.
Luckily here in America, lots of people realize that the police and the government are not responsible for our personal safety.