Mental health record submissions for gun checks on the rise

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- States appear to be taking more action to keep guns out of the hands of people with mental health problems in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings, new figures show.


Submissions of mentally ill patients' records to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System for gun buyers have more than doubled since the massacre in April, the Justice Department announced Thursday.

Currently, states are not required to send reports of mental health problems, which would prohibit buyers from purchasing a gun.


But after the shootings -- when a student with a history of mental health problems killed 32 people before taking his own life -- the number of submissions to the database grew from 174,863 during the first half of the year to 393,957 from July to November.

The number of states submitting the information also grew, from 23 before the Virginia Tech tragedy to 32 after it.

The majority of the new records came from California authorities, who submitted more than 200,000 entries, the Justice Department said. Ohio boosted the amount of entries from three in March of this year to 7,845 in November.

"Instant background checks are essential to keeping guns out of the wrong hands, while still protecting the privacy of our citizens," Attorney General Michael Mukasey said to the National Association of Attorneys General.

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Mental health record submissions for gun checks on the rise - CNN.com

States should be required to send reports of mental health problems and follow up when a permit to purchase has been requested.

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins

Never allow a person with previous or current mental health issues to own a gun.
That's my opinion.
And just requiring this is not enough. the checks should be done before the purchase is allowed to be completed.


But I want to make clear that I am in favor of allowing gun ownership by sane citizens.

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Salty

THANKSGIVING MENUS AND TIPS

A GREAT PLACE TO SHOP

Exactly..

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins

Same here...

Punishing the responsible ones for the sake of the morons is just flat-out stupid...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

One of my long lost friends has a federal firearms permit. He can buy and sell guns,little does the government know that at one time,he was forcibly committed to a mental institution...

I can remember how happy he was when they granted him the permit...

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins

As long as he's not spanking his kids in Massachussetts, it's OK...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd