Gun Control community and police safety vs right to bear arms - Research Paper Example

 Judging by the current statistics, the United States has the highest level of gun related violence, which is not only greater than everywhere in Western Europe, but around the World. Police officers receive reports of mass shootings virtually every day, with the latest one being the San Bernardino shooting in California, which left 14 people dead and 21 wounded. According to Shootingtracker.com, the San Bernardino shooting is undeniably the deadliest since the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting, which took place in December 2012, and left 20 children and 6 adults dead (Guardian US). The website, which defines a mass shooting as an incident where four or more people are shot at the same time, equally reports that the United States has witnessed 1052 mass shootings over a span of 1066 days. The situation in the United States is a sharp contrast to that in Scotland for example, which has a population of 5.3 million people but has made great strides in managing gun related violence (Baker). The state of affairs in Scotland is said to have changed after the Dunblane Primary School shooting in March 1996, which left 16 children and 1 teacher dead. The public outcry that resulted from the 1996 incident prompted the British government to act with speed, and ban the private ownership of automatic weapons and handguns within their mainland (Baker). The effected changes similarly gave the authorities more control over the licensing of weapons. Approximately two decades after the implementation of gun laws in Scotland, the security of the Scottish population is routinely assured. Unlike in the United States where illegal guns are a menace to the reduction of crime and routinely result in violence, guns in Scotland are predominantly left to farmers and hunters. In fact, most of the Scottish police officers do not even carry guns (Baker). Contrary to the situation in New York where criminals often engage in retaliation shootings over low-level confrontation such as narcotics and turfs, most of the criminal offences committed in Scotland often result from social problems such as poverty and alcoholism (Baker). Of the 55 homicides that the nation has experienced over the last 12 months for example, only one has involved shooting, with most of them being committed through knives. Furthermore, whereas prospective gun owners in America can simply walk into any gun retailing shops and acquire weapons, gun licensing has to be justified within Scotland and Britain at large (Baker). Most of the mass shootings within United States tend to be so devastating because they often target the youngest and most vulnerable members of the community. The number of lives lost from the school shootings that took place within the United States between 2000 and 2010 for example, exceed the mortalities in Germany, England, China along with thirty other countries combined (Diamond). Over the past, the United States has employed different mechanisms to avert mass shootings, but none has yielded the expected results. This therefore implies that the implementation of gun control laws may be the ideal way of curbing the frequent killings (Diamond). Nonetheless, the debate on gun control is quite complicated, as it has strong supporters on both sides. Those in support of gun laws hold the perception that their implementation would make the society safer. Their supposition is based on the fact that the guns used in approximately 70% of the mass shootings that have taken place within the United States over the last thirty years have been committed using guns that were acquired lawfully (Squires 93). On the other hand, those against gun laws trust in the fact that such laws do not make the society safer, but provide a platform for the infringement of human rights. Their supposition is based on the fact that people customarily acquire guns for self-defense, and that the right to bear guns is protected by both State and Federal laws. Such people equally argue that restriction laws had been struck out by the Supreme Court (Squires 115). I tend to share the ideology that one of the mechanisms of averting future mass shootings is by enacting gun laws. This is because such laws provide the authorities with the power to evaluate prospective gun holders adequately before issuing the arms. That notwithstanding, it is equally imperative to take note of the fact that the American society is different from Scotland, and that such laws may fail to bring about the expected results. The research paper therefore looks into some of the available literature review on gun laws and further reaffirms my position by analyzing some of the surveys that had been carried out on gun laws in the past. In as much as primary research would have been ideal due to its ability to provide the required data, I settled on secondary research because of the ease in accessing relevant information on the research question. In addition, interviewing key stakeholders would have been untenable due to the cost of the research and my school schedule. Research Paper on Gun Control v Unlimited Gun Ownership: Annotated Bibliography The topic of gun control has been heavily discussed over the last few years due to the devastating mass shootings that have taken place within United States. Supporters of adequate gun control believe that it is the perfect way of preventing future loss of lives due to gun violence. Segments of the population on the other hand presume that uncontrolled gun ownership is their right, which should not be interfered with. This research paper therefore aims to argue out the manner in which gun control can put the mass shootings to a stop. Baker, Al. In Scotland, Unlike America, Mass Shooting Led to Stricter Gun Laws. The New York Times. 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/07/nyregion/in-scotland-unlike-america-mass-shooting-led-to-stricter-gun-laws.html?_r=0 This article is relevant to the research paper, as it analyzes the mass shootings situation within the United States of America and compares it to the gun control regulations in Scotland, which is one of the nations with the lowest rates of gun related violence in the world. The article is quite accurate because the author draws most of his content from the Dunblane Primary Shooting Documents, and is of high quality given that the author is partial in arguing out his ideologies. Boseley, Sarah. High gun ownership makes countries less safe, US study finds. Guardian. 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/18/gun-ownership-gun-deaths-study The article is relevant to the research question because it provides a summary to a survey that had been carried out on gun control and safety. The accuracy of report cannot be doubted because its findings are based on a survey that had been carried out on the research topic. This source is equally of high quality because it is comprehensive and touches on both sides of the gun control debate. Branas, Charles., Therese Richmond, Dennis Culhane, Thomas Ten Have and Douglas Weibe. Investigating the Link between Gun Possession and Gun Assault. American Journal of Public Health. 2009. This research source is particularly important to the research paper because it discusses a survey that had been on the topic of gun control. The source is relevant because the research team carried out the survey with additional input from the Philadelphia Police Division, which is tasked with handling all the cases related to gun violence. Control, Robert. Gun Control and the Constitution: Sources and Explorations on the Second Amendment. Print. The source is relevant to the research topic because it analyzes the research question with particular emphasis on the contents of the constitution. The supporters of unlimited gun ownership have overtime based their arguments on the constitutionality of owning guns and this source provides an in depth evaluation of the constitutional provisions. Diamond, Dan. Mass Shootings Are Rising. Here is How to Stop Them. Forbes. 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2015/06/18/charleston-deaths-are-an-american-tragedy-mass-shootings-are-rising/ This source is relevant to the research question because it sheds more light on the recent and most devastating mass shootings and their causes as well as some of the approaches that can be employed in order to avert future mass shooting incidents. The main argument driven by the author is that mass shootings have unreasonably increased over the last few years and that it is high time obligatory actions are taken to prevent further loss of lives. Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Gun Safety and Public Health: Policy Recommendations for a More Secure America. 2013. Retrieved from: http://smartgunlaws.org/gun-safety-public-health-policy-recommendations-for-a-more-secure-america/ One of the main disadvantages of uncontrolled gun ownership is the fact that it predisposes the public to gun related violence. This source is relevant to the research question because it analyzes the effects of uncontrolled gun ownership on the safety of the community and looks into some of the mechanisms that can be employed by authorities with the aim of making sure that America is safe not only to its citizens, but to those who visit the nation as well. Los Angeles Times Staff. Deadliest U.S. mass shootings | 1984-2015. Los Angeles Times. 2015. Retrieved from: http://timelines.latimes.com/deadliest-shooting-rampages/ This source is relevant to the research question because it provides detailed information on some of the deadliest mass shootings that have taken place within United States over the last three decades. The source is accurate because its statistics have been documented and reaffirmed by other sources as well. Mass Shooting Tracker. 1,052 mass shootings in 1,066 days: this is what America's gun crisis looks like. Guardian US. US Gun Control. 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/oct/02/mass-shootings-america-gun-violence Unlike the source above, which provides information on mass shootings over the last thirty years, this source provides data on all the mass shootings that have taken place over the last three years. The source is of high quality and accurate majorly because most of its statistics have been documented on Shootingtracker.com, which is tasked with taking into consideration all the mass shootings within United States. Squires, Peter. Gun Culture or Gun Control? Firearms and Violence: Safety and Society. Print. The source is particularly important to the research paper because it looks into both sides of the debate. The research paper analyzes proper gun control regulations and its effects on public safety as well as gun culture and how it affects the public. The source equally looks into some of the roles that the society can play in order to avert mass shootings. Valdez, Angela. Gun Control. Chelsea House Publishers. Philadelphia. A considerable section of the American population holds the opinion that gun control is the ideal solution of preventing further loss of lives due to mass shootings. This source is relevant to the research paper because it provides a comprehensive analysis to both sides of the debate. The source bases a considerable section of its arguments on the provisions of the constitution, particularly the second amendment, which has overtime been used by most of the campaigners of uncontrolled gun ownership. Research Paper: Gun Control: Community and Research Safety v Unrestricted Rights to Bear Arms Introduction The incidence of mass shootings has risen steeply within America over the last few years and it is worrying that not even those in authority have been able to come up with ideal approaches of preventing the loss of innocent lives. The statistics of 2013 when approximately 34,000 people lost their lives from firearm related deaths and 40 through mass shootings indeed demonstrates that the rate of gun related violence in America has hit the roof (Diamond). In as much as sections of the American population may argue that the rate of mass shootings is exceedingly inconsistent compared to other gun related deaths as illustrated by the 2013 statistics, mass shootings remain particularly devastating because they often rob the society of its youngest and most vulnerable members (Diamond). The overall trend of gun related violence within the US is disturbing because over the last fifteen years, America has lost more school going children to shootings than India, England, Germany, China and thirty other countries combined (Diamond). In as much as several entities have come up with mechanisms of preventing mass shootings and other forms of gun related violence, none has been able to yield the expected results and this has led to suggestions from sections of the population that stricter gun laws may be the only solution. Nonetheless, the topic of gun control has been extremely controversial since its suggestion. This is because supporters and opponents of the topic have arisen in equal measure. Those who support adequate gun laws share the ideology that legal gun owners have often committed most of the cases of mass shootings and other forms of gun related violence (Diamond). On the other hand, opponents of gun laws presume true the fact that the right to bear guns is an individual liberty and that any efforts to limit gun ownership amounts to repression of human rights. Personally, I have faith in the fact that the United States of America should not be experiencing such levels of gun related violence and that appropriate measures should be taken to prevent further loss of lives. As mentioned above, various government agencies and other key stakeholders have attempted to implement different strategies with the objective of preventing mass shootings and other forms of gun related violence, none of which have been successful. As such, I believe that stricter gun laws should be enacted. This research paper therefore aims to provide more insight on gun laws with particular emphasis on some of the reasons why enactment of firmer gun laws is the ideal solution to the current American crisis. Literature Review According to a team of researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, the rate of mass shootings in America has tripled over the last four years. This supposition is majorly because in as much as mass shootings routinely took place after about 200 days between 1982 and 2011, the current incidents often occur after about 64 days (Diamond). The researchers argue that whereas most of the mass shooters had mental health conditions, there is no research to indicate that mental cases have been increasing over the last several years. In that regard, the researchers reaffirm that the only way to keep the community safe is to enact tough gun control laws (Diamond). To further prove their point, the researchers refer to the policies enacted by Australia in 1996 soon after a mass shooter went on a shooting spree and killed 35 citizens. The team of Harvard researchers report that the then Australian government repurchased all shotguns and rifles dramatically raised the bar for would-be future gun owners and passed stringent measures to govern the sale of firearms (Diamond). As a result, the country has never experienced any form of mass shooting since the enactment of the laws. The need to enact tougher gun laws has equally been emphasized by (Baker), who holds the opinion that the United States has high levels of gun related violence, which is greater than every nation within the Western Europe region because of its weak gun laws. Baker argues that both legal and illegal guns are a menace to the safety of US citizens because prospective gun owners can simply walk into any arms shop and acquire a weapon of his or her choice. He further asserts that security within certain regions in New York for example, is poor to the extent that even police officers are always hesitant to attend to such regions, for gangs engage in retaliatory killings over various differences such as turfs. Baker argues that the only way to assure both the police and the community of their safety is to enact tougher gun laws. To prove his point further, Baker refers to the Dunblane Primary School massacre of 1996, which left 17 Scots dead. He asserts that the then Scottish government put in place stringent gun laws, which have made the entire country safe for everyone. This is majorly because the country rarely records cases of gun related violence, and most of the crimes committed within Scotland are often attributed to social problems such as poverty and divisions among cynical people. Valdez (29), however introduces a new perspective into the topic of gun control by primarily analyzing some of the reasons routinely fronted by opponents of gun control. She argues that the opponents of gun control often perceive the right to bear arms as an individual liberty, and that any efforts to limit access to guns amounts to repression of human rights. Valdez (34) further asserts that those in favor of unrestricted gun ownership believe that it is a way of keeping the government out of their private lives, and that the less control the American government has over people’s lives the better. Valdez (36), however goes against their reasoning, asserting that most of the anti-gun groups have overtime misguided the American population that the Second Amendment stipulates that gun ownership should be unrestricted which should not be the case. Valdez (39) reaffirms that the hypothesis that Second Amendment permits citizens to own arms without restriction is a misinterpretation that should not be adhered to by the American society. To prove her point further, she gives the example using the freedom of speech. She strongly believes that in as much as individuals and various entities have the right to enjoy freedom of speech, boundaries are often in place in case they provide false information about others. She concludes by asserting that in as much as gun ownership comes in handy during specific occasions, it is imperative for the authorities to come up with stringent gun laws. This is majorly because it is the only way of making sure that the community is safe from those who may want to commit crimes using legally acquired weapons. According to Control (211), a stricter gun law is the only way of guaranteeing the safety of the community. His supposition is based on the fact that most of the guns that have been used in mass shootings and other forms of gun related violence are always legally acquired, and that tougher laws should have prevented such crimes, thereby making the community safe. As mentioned by Diamond, many of the shootings often target the most vulnerable individuals within any given society, a fact that has resulted in a public health crisis. Control (213) therefore argues that the only approach of preventing further attacks on females and children is by passing stricter laws. According to Control (215) tougher laws are additionally important in keeping the community safe because they ensure that serious background checks are carried out on prospective gun owners. The background checks are particularly important because they make sure that guns are kept out of the hands of those who are unfit to acquire them such as domestic abusers, criminals as well as those suffering from mental conditions. According to Squires (111), the American community should make an attempt of learning from its history. The supposition is majorly because statistics produced by various agencies has continuously traced back most of the legally acquired weapons to various crimes. Squires (113) asserts that stricter gun laws should be enacted due to the fact that about 20000 weapons acquired between 1986 and 1991 were used in various crimes including murder. Moreover, his perception is that America should learn from some of the gun control policies that have been adopted across various States, Municipalities and Counties. One example of such laws is the Sullivan Law of 1911, which was introduced in 1911 after the attempted murder of the then New York mayor, and has since been embraced across various States. In conclusion, Squires argues that most of the crimes that have been committed within United States for example, are often gun related and that the trend can be brought to a stop in case guns were not available easily and legitimately. His belief is that though gun related crimes would not be fully eliminated, the statistics from such incidences will surely go down. Research Methodology One of the major ideologies that has overtime been held by opponents of gun control is the fact that unrestricted gun ownership makes the community safe, because it enables self-defense in case of any attack. With this in mind, a team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania set out to establish the relationship between being shot and being in possession of the weapon at the time of the shooting (Branos 2034). The research, which was carried out in Philadelphia between 2003 and 2006, and was reported in the eleventh issue of the American Journal of Public Health in 2009, was carried out in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police Department. The team of researchers carried out the survey by acquiring their data from interviewing witnesses to the incidents, victims, police officers, detectives along with medical examiners who worked on shooting related cases (Branos et al 2035). For purposes of ensuring that the research was of high quality, the team of researchers identified and put in place control participants. In doing their selection, the researchers made sure that all of them were residents of Philadelphia, for any non-resident would not meet the criteria for belonging to the target population. All the control participants were equally above 21 years, for any individual below that age is prohibited from owning guns (Branos et al 2036). The research team only settled on participants who understood the purpose of the research and agreed to cooperate. They equally made attempts of averting any form of biasness towards the research process. Results The researchers established that about 3485 shootings had been registered in Philadelphia over the duration of the research. This translated to an average of about 2.82 shootings daily and a maximum of 21 shootings with an average of 9 days a year that were often free from shooting. Of the registered shootings, 91.88% were assaults, 4.79% self-inflicted, 1.72% unintentional and 1.55% of the shootings were due to legal interventions (Branos et al 2037). With particular emphasis only on assaults, the research team established that Philadelphia averaged about 2.7 assault shootings daily, with a maximum occurrence of 20 assault shootings in a day and a 13-day period that was free of shootings. After additional analysis of some of the confounding factors, the researchers established that individuals who possess guns are 17.04 times likely to be shot during assaults than those not in possession (Branos et al 2037). They equally established that those in possession of guns are 15.13 times likely to be fatally shot during assaults than those who do not possess guns. Worryingly enough, the research established that the chances of those who possessed weapons to be shot whenever there was a possibility of resistance stood at 29.92 (Branos et al 2037). Discussion From the results in the section above, it is apparent that contrary to the common belief that guns come in handy in self-defense, thereby making the community safe, guns in fact incline their possessors to more risk (Branos et al 2038). The hypothesis is majorly because guns do not seem to prevent those who possess them from being shot during cases of assault. The researchers argue that in as much as cases of successful defense often exist and routinely occur the survey they carried out did not seem to support such ideologies. They attributed the high risk to situations such as false empowerment, which often forces the possessors to over react, thereby losing the battle to those who may be otherwise armed (Branos et al 2039). Those who possess arms are equally likely to be tempted to venture into highly dangerous regions that are not safe for them as well as highly peaceful areas where conflicts may arise and they get over powered. Conclusion From the research highlighted in the section above, it is apparent that guns do not guarantee the safety of police officers and the community at large. Whereas cases of successful defense using guns are possible, it is imperative to note that such cases are quite rare for civilian gun users who reside within urban regions (Branos et al 2040). In that regard, those who possess guns should re-evaluate their perceptions on gun control. It is equally of great significance to take note of the fact that in as much as many people desire to keep our communities safe and free of gun related crimes, the unrestricted possession of guns may not be the ideal solution to the problem. This is because as highlighted above, the unrestricted possession may often bring about harm unnecessarily, as demonstrated by instances where those in possession of guns over react when in considerably peaceful environs. Recommendations The discussions above have undeniably demonstrated that the incidence of gun related violence within United States has hit the roof. This is majorly because approximately 30,000 individuals lose their lives yearly due to gun related violence. At the same time, approximately 60000 people often suffer from non-fatal injuries as a result of gun related violence. Supporters of unrestricted gun ownership hold the belief that owning arms is a mechanism of self-defense, though most of the surveys carried out on the same topic have continuously pointed towards the fact that gun owners are not guaranteed their safety. Countries such as Australia and Scotland have successfully enacted tougher gun control laws, which have come in handy in preventing gun related deaths and it is time the United States of America follows suit. In as much as opponents of gun control laws have over time cited Supreme Court rulings and the provisions of the Second Amendment, the provision does not permit the ownership of guns without restrictions. The laws would come in handy in making sure that the community is safe, as only the right persons will own guns. Such provisions will equally require that prospective gun owners be screened for some of the high risk factors such as mental illnesses and records of previous crimes. It is important to note that tougher gun related policies will not eliminate gun related violence in totality. In fact, adopting policies that have been implemented in Scotland and Australia may not yield similar results in the United States. Nonetheless, there is a possibility that such legislations may come in handy in reducing the rate of lives lost through arms. Additionally, it will play a huge role in making sure that the vulnerable in the society such as children and women are safe from mass shooters who are often out to rob them of their bright futures. Works-Cited Baker, Al. In Scotland, Unlike America, Mass Shooting Led to Stricter Gun Laws. The New York Times. 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/07/nyregion/in-scotland- Boseley, Sarah. High gun ownership makes countries less safe, US study finds. Guardian. 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/18/gun-ownership-gun-deaths-study Branas, Charles., Therese Richmond, Dennis Culhane, Thomas Ten Have and Douglas Weibe. Investigating the Link between Gun Possession and Gun Assault. American Journal of Public Health. 2009. Control, Robert. Gun Control and the Constitution: Sources and Explorations on the Second Amendment. Print. Diamond, Dan. Mass Shootings Are Rising. Here is How to Stop Them. Forbes. 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2015/06/18/charleston-deaths-are-an-american-tragedy-mass-shootings-are-rising/ Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Gun Safety and Public Health: Policy Recommendations for a More Secure America. 2013. Retrieved from: http://smartgunlaws.org/gun-safety-public-health-policy-recommendations-for-a-more-secure-america/ Los Angeles Times Staff. Deadliest U.S. mass shootings | 1984-2015. Los Angeles Times. 2015. Retrieved from: http://timelines.latimes.com/deadliest-shooting-rampages/ Mass Shooting Tracker. 1,052 mass shootings in 1,066 days: this is what America's gun crisis looks like. Guardian US. US Gun Control. 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/oct/02/mass-shootings-america-gun-violence Squires, Peter. Gun Culture or Gun Control? Firearms and Violence: Safety and Society. Print. Valdez, Angela. Gun Control. Chelsea House Publishers. Philadelphia. Read More