SCHOOL ZONE

[jsmithxd]

hey, guys....and gals, check this out. I was just reading the Reading Police Department's website and look what they say:

For possessing or discharging a firearm in a school zone you can receive a prison sentence of up to 5 years. If you give or sell a handgun (or ammunition used only in handguns) to someone under age 18 and you knew or had reasonable cause to know that the juvenile intended to carry, possess, or discharge the handgun or otherwise use the handgun or ammunition during a violent crime, you can go to prison for up to 10 years.



Here's a link to the website..

http://www.readingpa.gov/police_safe_neighborhoods.asp

[RoyJackson]

Originally Posted by jsmithxd

hey, guys....and gals, check this out. I was just reading the Reading Police Department's website and look what they say:

For possessing or discharging a firearm in a school zone you can receive a prison sentence of up to 5 years. If you give or sell a handgun (or ammunition used only in handguns) to someone under age 18 and you knew or had reasonable cause to know that the juvenile intended to carry, possess, or discharge the handgun or otherwise use the handgun or ammunition during a violent crime, you can go to prison for up to 10 years.

OK...what's wrong with that?
You cannot carry a gun on school grounds, except for lawful purposes. I'm not sure if it's been ajudicated that LTCF is a "Lawful purpose" yet.

But I can't see anything wrong with the rest of it...am I missing something? I did read the information on the link. Since we gunowers want the politicos to go after the illegal users of firearms (rather then the guns)...that appears to be what the Reading lads are doing.

[jsmithxd]

it doesn't state school property.. states "school zone". The way they have it written it would seem to mean within 1,000 feet from a school and the area you drive through with the flashing yellow lights where the speed drops to 15mph.

[TRB]

There are some problems here:

"Possessing or transferring a machine gun is punishable by up to 10 years in prison."

This statement is made in a vacuum. It is followed up by a more complex statement:

"Making or possessing a machine gun, sawed-off shotgun or rifle, silencer, or destructive device without registration through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can result in a 10-year prison term."

On the surface it appears to correct the first statement. However, the way the page is assembled it seems that the second statement is directed at a manufacturer. This is intentional. It confuses the casual reader. The entire page is filled with this kind of bias. We wonder why there is so much misinformation out there. When an official government website is deliberately misleading it's not hard to see why.

[Pa. Patriot]

Originally Posted by jsmithxd

it doesn't state school property.. states "school zone". The way they have it written it would seem to mean within 1,000 feet from a school and the area you drive through with the flashing yellow lights where the speed drops to 15mph.

It also does not mention the exceptions to the law. It is therefor misleading.
As is most info you'll get from a PD

[ChamberedRound]

Originally Posted by RoyJackson

OK...what's wrong with that?
You cannot carry a gun on school grounds, except for lawful purposes. I'm not sure if it's been ajudicated that LTCF is a "Lawful purpose" yet.

IMHO the problem is this law doesn't say anything about exemptions for lawful purposes, as does the UFA. The way it's stated, carry is an absolute offense. Although the lawful purposes issue, as far as LTCF is concerned, may not have been argued yet in court, IMHO the stricter language of the Reading law violates the UFA's preemption.

[Statkowski]

Sorry, but I really don't see anything misleading on the City of Reading's website. All the activities mentioned concerning firearms are under the heading of "Using, Carrying, or Possessing a Firearm in Connection With a Drug-Trafficking Crime or Crime of Violence".

None of it affects the lawful carrying of personal protection devices (a/k/a firearms).

[TRB]

Originally Posted by ChamberedRound

IMHO the problem is this law doesn't say anything about exemptions for lawful purposes, as does the UFA. The way it's stated, carry is an absolute offense. Although the lawful purposes issue, as far as LTCF is concerned, may not have been argued yet in court, IMHO the stricter language of the Reading law violates the UFA's preemption.

Is it actually law? It reads like a summary of the law. Given the tone of the summary it is very misleading.

[TRB]

Originally Posted by Statkowski

Sorry, but I really don't see anything misleading on the City of Reading's website. All the activities mentioned concerning firearms are under the heading of "Using, Carrying, or Possessing a Firearm in Connection With a Drug-Trafficking Crime or Crime of Violence".

None of it affects the lawful carrying of personal protection devices (a/k/a firearms).

That is true. The qualification is there. However the problem is when the language is given a casual read by people who are not familiar with the laws, or more importantly, where the law is silent i.e. open carry. Most people will read and comply. Obviously there is a political agenda that drives the writer to slant his commentary.

[Pa. Patriot]

Yeah, my bad... I didn't notice the "Using, Carrying, or Possessing a Firearm in Connection With a Drug-Trafficking Crime or Crime of Violence". myself.