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Mental Health Issues Put 34,500 on New York’s No-Guns List

34,500 New Yorkers have been placed on the state’s no-guns list due to “mental health” issues.

A newly created database of New Yorkers deemed too mentally unstable to carry firearms has grown to roughly 34,500 names, a previously undisclosed figure that has raised concerns among some mental health advocates that too many people have been categorized as dangerous.

The database, established in the aftermath of the mass shooting in 2012 at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and maintained by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, is the result of the Safe Act. It is an expansive package of gun control measures pushed through by the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. The law, better known for its ban on assault weapons, compels licensed mental health professionals in New York to report to the authorities any patient “likely to engage in conduct that would result in serious harm to self or others.”

This number seems incredibly high, but perhaps I’m underestimating the mental health challenges in the Empire State. A bigger concern for me with this type of database is this: how long before your religion, your beliefs, who you vote for, etc gets you put on the no-guns list? How do we know that’s not already happening?

You can read more here.

3 Responses to Mental Health Issues Put 34,500 on New York’s No-Guns List

  1. TK October 20, 2014 at 10:59 am #

    In the state where the Constitution means nothing, guaranteed this is being abused.

  2. Brian October 20, 2014 at 12:25 pm #

    I especially liked the comment from the Brady camp. Looks like they proscibe to the “better 1, 000 innocent men be convicted than 1 guilty one go free” method of jurisprudence.

  3. Ray October 20, 2014 at 4:09 pm #

    Isn’t everyone in NYC crazy? They must be grading on a curve.