Firearms Registration versus Law Enforcement:

 New Zealand POLICE Safer Communities Together today, 15/01/24 - report that less than 10% of licensed firearms owners have so far registered their lawful property with the Firearm's Registry .. Link:

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?pc=carousel-about-en#inbox/FMfcgzGwJmDMSbvBGVVcNskSWgrwrJfj

Despite this logically indicating that more than 90% of lawful gun owners have NOT registered their guns after seven months - Police claim that “Along with preventing the sale and purchase of stolen firearms, the Registry provides a better way for Police to trace where firearms used by criminals have come from.”

Can some expert explain to me their claim of - how having some 100,000 firearms registered "prevents the sale and purchase of stolen guns" or - how it makes tracing them, 'better'?

“The Thorpe Report in 1997 stated that unless there is 90 per cent compliance it is never going to work."

The NZ Government allocated an initial cost of $208 MILLION to this register - I estimate that on past performance the TRUE cost will likely be at least two-three times that. However NZ Police claim the cost was only  $10 M. 

Now - I don't want to be 'judgemental' - but if NZ police were to spend e.g. S10 M on addressing gang crime directly - by arresting and charging criminals and taking them into custody while awaiting their trials .. OR for police to spend the same $10 M on entering the details of guns owned by KNOWN lawful Licence Holders. - Which might be more effective in reducing NZ Crime?

Marty K.