http://news.sky.com/story/962756/bat...t-im-the-joker

Another mass shooting in the US by a guy calling himself the Joker.
The police are now worried about the possibility of copycat killings.

The gun debate will roll on but it appears that this guy purchased 6000 rounds of ammo online and 4 different guns elsewhere.
He has also set up a complicated booby trap device that has yet to be dealt with.

As we have seen this can happen anywhere,but surely the amount of weaponry so easily available in the States increases the risk factor considerably, be it for planned attacks such as this or spur of the moment loss of self control.

In any event a change in the law would likely make little difference now as the country is already awash with guns and it could well take at least 50 years or so to take most of them out of circulation

50 years and a revolution. Like it or loathe it, most Americans are not prepared to see only the criminals and government authorities armed. Your mention of 50 years is fairly accurate. However that would require a significant shift in public opinion. That has not been evident from the occasional mass shootings. Interesting side note rarely reported... US Violent crime rates have been dropping steadily for 35 years. Not just per capita but total.

Strangely enough the same trend in the UK with the lowest crime figures for almost 30 years.

A decrease in murders and violent crime especially, with only minor crimes showing any increase.

Interestingly, the crime figures in Spain have also fallen. What do the US, UK and Spain have in common?

I can't answer for the US, and people may not like this answer for the UK and Spain, but both have had socialists running the country in recent years. They both have 'feel-good' factors due to generous benefit systems; yes, Spain has them too.

I can't think of any other factors and have always thought that extreme poverty leads to a lot of crime, and we no longer have extreme poverty.

Good to see! Some hope for the western world yet?

I think you know the answer well enough for the US.
As for the UK the trend is over a 30 year period, not 13 under socialism.
The trend in Spain I havent checked out, but likewise over the longer term there have been govts from both sides of the house.

Generous benefits in Spain ?
I fancy there will be some who will take you to task on that dodgy claim as well.

One of the reasons I heard put forward for the UK improvement is the much better detection systems making life much more difficult for criminals.

I think violent crime is on the increase in Spain especially domestic violence an drug related crimes. I would be very surprised if this wasn't directly linked to unemployment, poverty and stress. As for Spain's generous benefits I wonder if HBG could live on €420 a month?

I could if I lived at home with my mum, and I would get much less in the UK.

To get back to topic the police still haven't managed to get into the guys house yet because of the elaborate booby traps he left behind.

They are also still worried about the possibility of copy cat actions.
It doesn't even bear thinking about as the Joker was only one of about two dozen enemies of Batman, incl such names as the Riddler, Catwoman and Mr Penguin.
At least it answers the long running question regarding wether or not films can influence the committing of violent crimes.

I wonder what the trigger is, to do somthing like that?

Your poor mum ...

If you haven't been working for a few years and paying into the SS of course, you will get precisely nada. A food parcel from the nuns, if youre lucky and say your prayers.

Mental illness + constant exposure to violent TV, films and video games. Lethal combination.

It's nearly always the quiet withdrawn ones who seem to do those crimes.

I think it is that the populations of these countries are getting to be older, we just don't have the energy to put our problems in to action

It caused the Paris premier of the film to be cancelled in case of copycat actions.