I read with amusement the letter on the New Haven Register opinion page on Sunday, June 23, about the appalling murder rate in Chicago. The writer suggested that if only we had universal background checks this problem would be fixed.
First off, we already have universal background checks for legal transfers. The only exception is between private sellers but it is still illegal to transfer privately to a unqualified buyer.
Private sales between legal buyers is less than 2 percent of all legal sales, according to figures reported by the U.S. Department of Justice. The 40 percent figure touted by the gun control lobby and the government is a bogus statistic. It was taken from a survey in 1994 of 254 buyers who were asked if they knew a background check was performed. This study was taken before the instant background system was in use and the researcher classified as “no” responses to those who responded with “I don’t know.”
 A U.S. Department of Justice study also found that less than 2 percent of convicted felons purchased their firearms at gun shows. Most got them from theft or off the street from illegal sellers.
To say Chicago has a gun problem is incorrect. They have a gang problem and a government that pleads down gun arrests rather than prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law. The same study that interviewed convicted felons also asked if they were more or less prone to commit a gun crime if they knew the victim might be armed. Surprisingly, the majority said they would be less inclined. Chicago is a laboratory that proves that preventing law-abiding citizens from making the decision to be armed is a recipe for more gun crime and gun violence.
John Aiello
Guilford