DURING THE YEAR PRECEDING THE ENACTMENT OF THE JAMAICAN 'GUN COURT' LAW, 124 OF THE 232 HOMICIDES REPORTED IN THAT COUNTRY, OR 53 PERCENT, WERE COMMITTED WITH FIREARMS. THE 'GUN COURT' LAW, WHICH WENT INTO ACTION IN MARCH OF 1974, CREATED A SEPARATE TRIBUNAL FOR HANDLING CRIMES COMMITTED WITH FIREARMS. UNDER THE LAW, PERSONS ARRESTED ON CHARGES INVOLVING FIREARMS ARE TRIED WITHOUT DELAY AND, IF FOUND GUILTY, ARE SENTENCED TO INDEFINITE DETENTION IN A SPECIAL PRISON UNTIL A DESIGNATED REVIEW COMMISSION DECIDES TO RELEASE THEM. LOSS OF A FIREARM THROUGH OWNER NEGLIGENCE IS ALSO CONSIDERED A CRIME UNDER THE NEW LAW. THIS REPORT STUDIES THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO INITIATION OF THE GUN CONTROL ACT AND FOCUSES ATTENTION ON THE INITIALLY FAVORABLE REACTION OF VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY WHICH GAVE WAY TO SUBSEQUENT CRITICISM BY LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES, POLITICAL LOBBYISTS, AND THE MEDIA. THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE LEGISLATION IS REVIEWED, AND AVAILABLE EVIDENCE ON THE EFFECTS OF THE LAW IS PRESENTED. ONE YEAR AFTER THE LEGISLATION WAS PASSED, GUN MURDERS HAD DECLINED BY 56 PERCENT, SHOOTINGS WITH INTENT HAD DECREASED 37 PERCENT, AND ARMED ROBBERIES WERE REDUCED BY 28 PERCENT. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE REDUCTION IN GUN CRIMES COULD NOT ENTIRELY BE ACCOUNTED FOR BY INCREASED POLICE ACTIVITY AND/OR BY PREVIOUS AND CURRENT CRIME RATES ON THE ISLAND. SUBSEQUENT NEGATIVE CRITICISM OF THE LEGISLATION AND QUESTIONS SURROUNDING ITS CONSTITUTIONALITY COULD EVEN HAVE REDUCED ITS IMPACT. SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE AS TO HOW THE EFFECTS OF THE LAW ON GUN CRIMES MIGHT BE MORE ADEQUATELY ANALYZED BY JAMAICAN AUTHORITIES IN THE FUTURE. STATISTICS ON CRIME RATES BEFORE AND AFTER ENACTMENT OF THE 'GUN COURT' LAW ARE PRESENTED IN GRAPHIC AND TABULAR FORM. -- IN ITALIAN.