James B. Jacobs

About the author: James B. Jacobs is a professor of law at New York University and the author of Can Gun Control Work" from which the following viewpoint is excerpted.

In 1993 the federal government enacted the Brady Law, which mandates a five-day waiting period for gun purchases, during which a background check is run on prospective gun buyers. However, the law only applies to Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs), and not to unlicensed or individual sellers who deal in the secondary market. Since the passage of the Brady Bill, gun control advocates have been touting another bill known as "Brady II" that seeks to institute a more comprehensive national system of licensing gun owners and tracking all gun purchases. However, Brady II's proposed licensing and registration system would do little...