In the News: Sobol Discusses Gun Buyback Programs

James Sobol, associate professor and chair of Buffalo State College’s Criminal Justice Department, discussed buyback programs in a recent article and news segment on Chicago’s ABC News Channel 7.

The piece, “Gift Cards for Guns: What the Chicago Police Department Gets from Firearm Turn-ins,” looks at one of the tactics Chicago police use to get guns off of the streets. While the practice of buying guns back may sound good, it may not be doing much to deter crime, according to the story. Often, the guns are rusty, old, or damaged.

“​​Criminals are the least likely folks who are going to be turning the guns in,” Sobol said in the story. 

Sobol has studied gun turn-in programs across the country with colleagues Scott W. Phillips, professor of criminal justice, and Dae-Young Kim, associate professor of criminal justice. Their research shows that these programs don’t do much for public safety. Sobol was asked if the programs are more of a public relations tool. 

“The gun buyback, again, sounds good,” he said. “Its impact on crime, probably negligible.”

Others interviewed for the piece, including the director of the Chicago Police Department’s Office of Community Policing, argued that just getting the guns off the streets, even if they’re old or rusty, was enough to continue the programs. 

Photo by Buffalo State Creative Services