Gun buybacks are a sore spot for many in the Second Amendment community, and for understandable reasons. After all, just the term suggests that these weapons were somehow the government’s property to begin with. Otherwise, how would they be buying them back?

For another, it’s part of the misconception that guns in and of themselves somehow contribute to violent crime. Otherwise, why try and buy them back as a response to crime when anyone with half a brain knows the crooks won’t be selling their guns?

Then there’s the fact that studies have shown they simply don’t work.

That’s not stopping one New Jersey county from having one anyway.

Here’s a chance for anyone in New Jersey to trade in their guns for cash.

The Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office has announced a Gun Buy Back event for Saturday, October 23, from 10 am – 4 pm at the Alms Center in Bridgeton.

Officials say up to $250 per gun will be paid out, with a maximum gun purchase of three per person. The program is anonymous and officials stress that no questions will be asked.

So, let’s unpack this for a moment.

A maximum amount of $250 per firearm will be paid out, probably based on the weapon type, which means it’ll be a fraction of what the weapon is actually worth so far as retail value.

That means you’re going to get two types of people. The first type will be those who someone ended up with firearms, probably because of a loved one dying, and don’t have a clue what to do with it. They probably buy into the crap about guns ending up in criminal hands so easily, so they’re not willing to take them to a gun store for sale out of fear they’ll end up in the “wrong” hands or something, so they’ll go to a buyback.

The other group is comprised of the criminals who used the gun in some kind of crime and are desperate to get rid of it, preferably where the police can’t link it back to them.

“No questions asked” is just perfect for them.

Of course, some proponents of these buybacks will argue that by buying these guns from people who don’t want them, they reduce gun thefts. I find that a very interesting proposition. Especially since I haven’t seen a single study showing buybacks somehow reduce gun thefts.

Take a look at the number of guns turned in at these events when compared to the population. It accounts for a tiny fraction of the people who likely own guns. Most don’t want to get rid of them. They want to keep them.

Those are also the people whose guns get stolen.

The claim that buybacks somehow reduce stolen firearms or even crime is laughable at best. The former is supposition at most and the latter has been debunked by studies.

And yet, they keep having these. Why?

Well, the answer is simple. It’s kabuki theater designed to make people feel like officials are doing something when they’re really not. It’s a way to claim they’re taking a problem seriously when they often don’t have a freaking clue what to do.

That’s it. That’s why we still have buybacks despite there being no evidence that they work.

Pretty sad, really.