SCOTUS opinions (majority and dissent) here:
http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/wp-cont.../06/07-290.pdf
I've also heard that "criminals are better with guns than citizens" thing a lot lately from non-thinking libs. Must be talking points from Sarah Brady or something. Nonsensical for a few reasons:
- Handguns require instruction and practice for accuracy
- Street thugs aren't particularly welcome at shooting ranges
- Urban areas don't exactly lend themselves to target practice outside of shooting ranges
- Even if criminals had somewhere to practice, they're usually not that inclined to do so
- They're not that bright, and have the "I'm a man and I know how to use a piece, yo" attitude
- They frequently get pointers from TV, movies, and music videos
There are obviously exceptions to all these rules, the most relevant one being street gangs that are increasingly well funded, organized, diciplined, and smart about training and effectiveness. But as a basic rule, the guy who gets a license for a gun, practices with the gun, and learns about it will be a better user of it than a guy who uses it for muggings and drive bys.
If she's really worried about citizens' abilities, D.C. should enact the following: anyone who wants a gun must also get a CC permit--and to do so, they must pass a mental health/criminal background check, a shooting class focused on self defensive use and the law on use of force, and a biannual test of shooting and book reading skills. None of this "tell us why you need it" crap, just a system like for getting a driving license.