Reducing Gun Violence

1640 Words4 Pages

Gun violence has reached an all-time high. After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, widespread concern forced legislators to take a second look at our gun laws. When twenty children and six educators were gunned down, many citizens were outraged and begged authorities to pass more stringent gun laws because with fewer guns, there could possibly be fewer incidents involving gun violence. Many people believe that the widespread availability of guns is making society unsafe. Each year, nearly 100,000 Americans are shot, 32,000 of them die, 47 children are shot every day, and eight of them die, according to the U.S. News Digital Weekly. In order to solve this problem, more stringent background checks should be required by all applicants, restriction and enforcement on the sale of guns at gun shows need to improve, and the availability of automatic weapons should be limited. More stringent background checks should be obligatory for all gun purchases, and a database should be kept on a state and federal level, which could be funded by the federal government. According to Messer and Cartwright, background checks are a safer way to reduce the chances of endangering families. People who are against new laws misinterpret background checks with the belief that they can infringe on the rights of responsible gun owners. In actuality, background checks prevent known felons and unstable persons from acquiring weapons. The loophole with private sales of weapons, however, is that felons and mentally unstable buyers can purchase from a private seller without a background check. Because of the loophole, private sales should be documented. Even seventy four percent of the National Rifle Association members and 87 percent o... ... middle of paper ... .... MasterFILE Elite. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. Goldberg, J 2012, 'The Case for More Guns (And More Gun Control)', Atlantic Monthly (10727825), 310, 5, pp. 68-78, Literary Reference Center, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 Oct. 2015. McInery, Thomas K. "Keeping Children Safe from Gun Violence." Vital Speeches of the Day 79.7 (2013): 209-211. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 4 Oct. 2015. Messer, Luke, Cartwright, Matt. "Should All Gun Sales Require Background Checks?." U.S. News Digital Weekly 5.20 (2013): 16. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. Tormey, Travis J. “NJ Gun Laws- Both Registration and Criminal Charges” New Jersey’s Criminal Defense & DWI Attorney, 8 Oct. 2015. Zarych, John J. “The Current State of New Jersey’s Gun Laws.” EIN Presswire, 13 August 2009. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. “Homicide Statistics” Australian Institute of Criminology, 21 February, 2013. Web. 8 Oct. 2015

Show More
Related

  • District of Columbia v. Heller: The Use and Permit of Handguns

    1536 Words  | 4 Pages

    Carter, Gregg. Guns in American Society: An Encyclopedia of History, Politics, Culture, and the Law. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 2012. Print.

    Read More

  • America Needs Background Checks for Gun Purchases

    1197 Words  | 3 Pages

    Right now, the U.S. has a National Instant Background Check System; however, it contains many flaws. This system is meant to act as a filter to stop the wrong people from having guns. In 2007, the Bipartisan legislation was passed to strengthen this system. It relies on data supplied by the states, but the data is often incomplete and inadequate (Merino 104). Unlicensed gun sellers have also created a dangerous loophole. The law makes an exception for gun sellers who aren’t federally licensed gun dealers. These sellers sell guns informally through venues such as gun shows, and are not required to run background checks. This is a dangerous loophole where people who should not have guns can get them (“Gun”). Senator Frank R. Lautenberg once stated, commenting on the gun sh...

    Read More

  • Shootings By Adam Gopnik's Influence Of Gun Violence In America

    1023 Words  | 3 Pages

    Through the year’s shootings have increased by a significant amount. Individuals are becoming affected on a regular basis and are concerned about there safety. Parents are worried for there youth getting assaulted, sexually violence, tormented, kidnaped, murdered on the other hand, now there ending up to be more stressed for there child getting shot. Guns have been around for hundredths of years, both world wars were succeeded with guns, hence, guns were served to defend its nation through history. In Western society citizens purchase guns for self preservation. Unfortunately, they are utilized in opposing ways, the majority of crimes are involved in gun shootings; this is an essential issue in America. Most agree that gun violence will have

    Read More

  • Gun Control is NOT the Answer to Juvenile Crime

    2300 Words  | 5 Pages

    Richman, Sheldon. "The Seen and Unseen in Gun Control." The Freeman 1 Oct 1998: 610-611

    Read More

  • Gun Control: America Needs Better Background Checks

    1204 Words  | 3 Pages

    Valdez, Angela and John Ferguson Jr. Gun Control: Firearms Ownership, New York: Chelsea House, 2012. 58-60. Print.

    Read More

  • Gun Control: Annotated Bibliography

    752 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this article Emmett Tyrell informs us about gun violence in schools and what the NRA has proposed to stop the gun violence, and mass shootings across America. While the gun control debate rages, many schools have become war zones, and all school zones are vulnerable. The National Rifle Association's has come up with a 225-page report contains dozens of recommendations to improve safety in our nation’s schools. The NRA’s National School Shield program will train and enable school personnel to carry firearms to protect our nation’s children.

    Read More

  • Gun Control.

    790 Words  | 2 Pages

    One way gun control advocates have tried to reduce the number of guns being issued to citizens of the United States of America is to require background checks. Background checks are performed on some weapons but they want a full background check for felonies, mental issues, proper classes, safety precautions to name a few. Background checks would make sure that if you have any type of police record you will be given a second look and make sure that you are fit to own a gun. (Asa Best) If you have a record this does not mean that you will not be able to own a gun it may just mean that your ch...

    Read More

  • Guns are Destroying America

    865 Words  | 2 Pages

    Violence related to guns is a prominent issue in America. Guns are a means to an end; meaning guns have played a strong role in suicides, murders, and injuries. In the past decade there has been an average of 400-500 thousand incidents of firearms per year (Gun Violence). The number of injured people from firearm incidents in the United States per year for the past decade is 400-600 thousand people (Gun Violence). These statistics are absolutely shocking to anyone. The amount of violence and crime that comes from guns is enormous. It is imperative that proper gun control is put into place by means of background checks and proper training. It can almost be certain that the number of incidents of accidental discharges from children and the number of victims affected by gun crimes in general can be highly reduced.

    Read More

  • An Argument for Gun Control

    2438 Words  | 5 Pages

    Although the Second Amendment prevents the federal government from completely banning guns in America, limited restrictions are allowed on the distribution and possession of firearms. Certain groups of people such as criminals, the mentally unstable, and soldiers dishonorably discharged from the military are prohibited from possessing or interacting with firearms (Flynn). These restrictions are enforced by background checks in some states on both a state and federal level. However, gun laws vary from state to state and are often not thorough enough; the background checks are flawed due to lack of information and misinformation, and guns can easily end up in the hands of criminals and malevolent individuals. The ease of obtaining a firearm in America fosters crime and a dangerous environment. Hence, the Second Amendment should be reinterpreted so that stricter gun laws can be implemented because modern citizens do not require guns, current background checks are flawed, gun...

    Read More

  • Poverty and Crime in America

    3673 Words  | 8 Pages

    Wilson, H. (2007). Guns, gun control, and elections. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

    Read More

  • The Effects and Consequences of Gun Control

    2071 Words  | 5 Pages

    Lott, Jr. John R. More Gun Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. Print.

    Read More

  • Gun Control: Keeping Guns Out of the Wrong Hands

    1297 Words  | 3 Pages

    22 Nov. 2013. Jacobs, James B., and Kimberly A. Potter. "Keeping Guns out of the ‘Wrong’ Hands: The Brady Law and the Limits of Regulation." The Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology 86.1 (1995): 93-120. Print.

    Read More

  • Gun Control and School Shootings

    740 Words  | 2 Pages

    Today in the United States many people argue over the fact of guns being legal or illegal. There are people using guns for personal safety and there are others who use them for crimes, as well as for other situations. Firearm deaths in the United States have slowly been decreasing from year to year with all these bills getting passed to promote a safer country than ever before. Guns are the main weapon for youth suicide, school shootings, and for committing murder. In 2010 there were 2,711 infants, child, and teenage firearm deaths. As in school shootings and in committing murder, studies show shooters often had multiple, non-automatic guns, shootings were planned, most youth tell before shooting, shooters have a history of being bullied or threatened, shooters have mental issues, and shooters have done suicidal gestures before (Gun Control with School Shootings). Although there are people who use guns for murdering, there are also those who oppose guns being used without the proper requirements. 85% of all respondents to the survey supporting requiring states to report people to national background-checks systems who are prohibited from owning gu...

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Gun Control

    1553 Words  | 4 Pages

    Gun violence in America is a public health crisis, which needs to be recognized and changed by legislatures, and the voting American. As conscious Americans, we need to vote for changes to gun laws that would improve background checks nation-wide, make firearm registration mandatory, restrict the sale of assault weapons and weapon modifications that give the shooter military-grade fire power, and invest in gun-safe technology and safe firearms storage designs. This type of technology will help prevent criminally oriented people from accessing guns, and will help prevent the accidental deaths of many children by guns. This essay will explain the reforms needed to help ensure Americans can still exercise their 2nd amendment right of owning firearms, and preventing the unnecessary deaths of many Americans at the same time.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Gun Control

    1706 Words  | 4 Pages

    The discussion about gun control is far-gone, and America should enact laws that will require gun owners to register their firearms. A background check on every citizen bearing a gun is necessary so that guns do not land in the arms of felons and the mentally ill. Thinking that people can use guns to fight for their liberty is a far gone idea that needs a second thought. However, gun control is not the only solution because it is necessary to educate the population on the risks of keeping guns and asking them to remit the guns at their own will.

    Read More

More about Reducing Gun Violence

Open Document