DO GUN BUYBACKS WORK?

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"This is a compilation of nations with the highest per capita gun ownership. Topping the list is the United States, which uniquely boasts more firearms than inhabitants. Yemen ranks second with 53 guns per 100 people, largely attributed to its decade-long civil war. Sharing the third position is Serbia, the sole European country surpassing others in terms of firearms per person, primarily due to the legacy of conflicts in the former Yugoslavia during the 1990s. However, Serbia is currently striving to change this status. Their ambitious approach involves encouraging Serbians to voluntarily relinquish their firearms, following a series of tragic events.

Between the conclusion of the Yugoslav wars in 2001 and the year 2023, Serbia experienced five mass shootings. In May 2023, a distressing turn of events occurred with two separate mass shootings happening within a day. The first involved a seventh-grader who opened fire at a school, resulting in the deaths of eight students and a security guard. The very next day, another mass shooter killed eight people and injured 15, just a few miles away. In response to this crisis, Serbia's president pledged to disarm the country.

The disarmament plan included a month-long program called a 'weapons amnesty,' during which Serbians were encouraged to surrender their illegal firearms, a practice sometimes referred to as 'gun buybacks.' While Serbia has conducted amnesties in the past, this recent effort proved to be the most successful in the nation's history, resulting in the surrender of over 26,000 weapons, 1.3 million rounds of ammunition, and 6,000 explosives.

But the effectiveness of removing these weapons remains uncertain. To gain insights into the potential success, one might look to a country that implemented a similar initiative: Australia. On April 28, 1996, a tragic incident occurred in Port Arthur, Tasmania, when a young man opened fire, killing 35 people and injuring 18 with a semi-automatic rifle. In response, Australia swiftly adopted a national firearms agreement just 12 days later.

The agreement revolved around ten core measures, including registration, licensing, and safety training. The top priority was the prohibition of automatic and semi-automatic weapons, which are particularly dangerous in mass shootings. To retrieve these now-banned firearms already in circulation, the agreement featured a year-long gun amnesty. Despite initial reluctance, Australians embraced the program due to the following factors:

1. Overwhelming public support, with about 90% of the population backing the reforms.

2. A national approach to the amnesty with fair compensation for surrendered items.

3. Support for businesses affected by the initiative.

4. Anonymous surrender with no legal consequences.

5. Mandatory participation with severe penalties for noncompliance.

6. Convenient buyback centers located nationwide.

7. Destruction of collected weapons, typically through crushing and melting.

8. Implementation of new firearm restrictions to prevent the circulation of illegal firearms after the amnesty's conclusion.

Australia's 1996 buyback successfully removed more than 640,000 guns from circulation, roughly equivalent to 20% of all firearms in the country. This initiative had a notable impact on reducing mass shootings, with none occurring in the 18 years following the Port Arthur incident.

Furthermore, the program significantly influenced suicide rates, particularly in states where more firearms were surrendered. Several other countries have conducted weapons collection programs, but their success varies. For instance, the United States has hosted over 500 voluntary gun buybacks since the 1980s, but they tend to be small, localized efforts without substantial accompanying firearm restrictions. Consequently, mass shootings and overall gun-related fatalities continue to rise on a national scale.

Returning to Serbia, the recent weapon amnesty in the country lacks mandatory participation and compensation. Nevertheless, it distinguishes itself through strong public support and the call to address cultural factors contributing to high gun ownership. While most gun amnesties are temporary, maintaining their effectiveness requires consistent effort. Even in Australia, where a powerful gun lobby attempts to erode gun laws, the nation remains a global model for tackling gun violence. While not all countries can replicate Australia's precise conditions and lessons, Serbia, and other nations struggling with gun violence, can learn from this example, with the potential to transition from being among the top countries in per capita gun ownership to no longer occupying that position."