Gun Control Will Not Reduce Crime

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In "Just Take Away Their Guns," author James Q. Wilson argues that "Legal restraints on the lawful purchase of guns will have little effect on the illegal use of guns" (Wilson 63). Wilson points out that it would be tough to remove all legally purchased guns from the streets and nearly impossible to confiscate illegally purchased guns. Gun advocate J. Warren Cassidy argues that "The American people have a right 'to keep and bear arms'. This right is protected by the Second Amendment to the Constitution. . ." in an article titled "The Case for Firearms" (Cassidy 275). James B. Jacobs and Kimberly A. Potter wrote in an article called "Keeping guns out of the "wrong" hands: the Brady law and limits of regulations" that "US law enforcement should concentrate on stiff sentences for crimes committed with guns and recognize that gun control laws do not keep guns from the wrong people" (Jacobs and Potter 1 of 27). Daniel B. Polsby, author of "The false promise: gun control and crime," simply states, "Gun control laws don't work" (Polsby 1 of 11). Polsby feels that "gun control laws are ineffective because [they] have not been proven to be a deterrent to crime" (1 of 11). James D. Wright states, in his article "Second Thoughts about Gun Control," that "If there were fewer guns around, there would also be less crime and less violence" (Wright 93). More gun control laws will only make it a hassle for law abiding citizens to purchase guns. They will not keep guns out of the criminal's hands because they have other methods of obtaining guns, such as the secondary market which is the illegal sale of firearms. Another reason why more gun control legislation will backfire is that those who want to purchase guns to protect themselves a... ... middle of paper ... ... and Hugo Bedau. Boston, MA: Bedford Books, 1996. 275-276. Desuka. Nan. "Why Handguns Must Be Outlawed." Current Issues and Enduring Questions. Eds. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston, MA: Bedford Books, 1996. 277-281. Jacobs, James B. and Kimberly Potter. "Keeping guns out of the "wrong" hands: the Brady law and the limits of regulation." Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 86 (Fall 1995): 93-120. Polsby, Daniel D. "The false promise" gun control and crime." Current June 1994: 4-11. Wilson, James Q. "Just Take Away Their Guns." Current Issues and Enduring Questions. Eds. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston, MA: Bedford Books, 1996. 63-66. Wright, James D. :Second Thoughts about Gun Control." The Gun Control Debate. Ed. Lee Nisbet. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books, 1990. 93-107.

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