Gun Buy-Back Programs: How Helpful? : Until the advent of comprehensive gun control, they are a lot better than nothing

Consider one of the latest of the holiday gun tragedies in our area. Three years ago Martha Jordan moved her family to the Antelope Valley from Los Angeles’ Wilshire district to escape crime and gangs. However, it turned out that the high desert wasn’t distant enough; maybe interplanetary travel is required.

Early Sunday morning, Jordan’s 17-year-old son, Rayshaun Love, died trying to shield two teen-age girls from gunfire that erupted over a spilled beer at a party. Right in the peaceful Antelope Valley.

This incident and countless other acts of mayhem by gunfire are why The Times is calling for the strongest possible gun laws, including a nearly total ban on the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns and assault weapons. We do not believe anything less would be effective.

However, such a legal situation doubtlessly will be a long time coming. For this reason we support interim gun control measure such as the famous Brady bill, recently written into law, and voluntary gun buy-back programs in which the weapons are destroyed.

In experimenting with buy-back programs, Californians once again are putting a new twist on an old idea. Programs here in Los Angeles and elsewhere are getting firearms off the streets through innovative methods.

One such effort, sponsored here by the television station KTTV and Ticketmaster, gives those who turn in their guns two tickets to a sports or entertainment event--no questions asked. It’s true that the turnout hasn’t been heavy; but then the program is quite brief, extending from last Saturday through Christmas Eve. Maybe the organizers could lengthen the exchange period to see whether the idea gains popularity.

Los Angeles officials should consider modeling a city plan after San Francisco’s guns-for-cash exchange program: No fewer than 1,730 pistols, rifles and shotguns have been collected there.