1,635 crimes that didn't happen

[Highwayman]

BY RON SYLVESTER
The Wichita Eagle

More than 1,600 violent crimes that could have occurred in the past year didn't, according to a study released Wednesday from Wichita State University.

That's a result of the Wichita Area Gun Task Force, said Brian Withrow, associate professor of criminology.

The task force united local, state and federal authorities to target convicted felons who had histories of carrying guns and continued to do so. They took more than 50 cases to federal court, where penalties are harsher, and achieved prison sentences of up to 16 years.

Using the criminal histories of the offenders and the lengths of their prison sentences, the study determined the same people would have committed 1,635 crimes had they not been put behind bars.

"I'm talking about drug dealers, gang-bangers, stickup artists and those who carry firearms as a tool of their trade," U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren said at a news conference.

Rest of story......
http://www.kansas.com/mld/eagle/news...s/14662023.htm