Illinois system could be model

By Edward Hayes, Las Vegas

Wednesday, May 17, 2017 | 2 a.m.

I don’t have much faith in background checks to reduce gun violence. But in response to the Sun’s recent editorial (May 4) about the state of Nevada responding in some way to the misguided opinions of many voters on universal background checks, let me offer a possible suggestion. Look to the state of Illinois for a way to oversee firearm transfers between private individuals.

In Illinois, state-issued Firearm Owner’s Identification cards must be obtained to own firearms or ammunition. These contain a photograph and are renewable every four or five years. The advantage of Illinois’ system is that the background checking process can be done more thoroughly and comprehensively than the quick phone call made in Nevada during a potential over-the-counter sale by licensed gun dealers.

Typically, in Illinois there is a two- to three-week wait for the Firearm Owner’s ID card to arrive in the mail after application. It’s doubtful that background checks in Nevada can be as complete as the in-depth investigation conducted into the personal background of each applicant in Illinois.

That said, the reports of gang shootings in Illinois are testimony that gun-control measures, sought by a hysterical public, are most often ineffective in real life despite sounding good on paper.