England and Scotland are funny places. If a burglar invades your home, you can get thrown in jail for shooting him. You are supposed to somehow presciently divine the extent of his capability to harm you and your family, and then respond proportionally, using "reasonable force." I wonder, if he has a knife, is your use of a gun then "reasonable force?" Or are you only allowed to use a knife so the fight is fair and square?

How utterly....European it all is.

This idiocy has the head of a Scottish police superintendents association somewhat concerned. More in this article from The Scotsman. The same protection of what I call "perpetrators rights" extends to burglars in England, as well, where legislators and now a top law enforcement official also support greater leeway for homeowners defending themselves from home invaders. Including the use of a pistol.

Underlying this absurd state of affairs is the British handgun ban of 1997, prompted by a tragic Scottish school massacre. Not that criminals are terribly concerned with such prohibitions, or reluctant to violate one's person or property using their knives, guns or other weapons. If the police officials, and the legislators who support police and at-risk citizens do prevail, the gun ban will be modified. As well it should be.

Icing on the cake: the Scots don't want to keep chronic re-offender burglars, car thieves and other "petty" criminals in jail. The Justice Minister is unveiling a plan to "reintegrate" them into society with stays at special transitional living facilities and a battery of social services, including debt management counseling.

Those Scots: always a step ahead of the game.

UPDATE: Micajah, at Croker Sack, has written about this, too.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at December 6, 2004 12:09 PM

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