@cantankerouc: I don't know for sure but while they don't seem to have the death penalty, (plus the joker is insane) I'm guessing hand guns are legal. If you know what the joker has done over several years and have just seem him do it again wouldn't the temptation be there to just shoot him?

@cadrina: True, but a lot people in that universe would probly like the joker dead and if we take it completely seriously (a mistake) its a little hard to believe someone wouldn't have succeeded by now.