If individuals knew that they faced a mandatory 10 year jail term for the commission of a crime with a firearm, and then would be tried for the crime, we may see some decline. Too many time today criminals only get a slap on the wrist, and probation and are back on the street the same day.
We have talked about changing a persons perception of criminal acts, but you can't do that by legislating against an inanimate tool,(firearm), you need to have the justice system get tuff with the perpetrators, not the citizenry. Lately the wrong message has been sent, and unless one fears incarceration, and the lost of civil liberties, it will continue to be business as usual.