Compile an Annotated Bibliogoraphy for Pro and Con Stances - Research Paper Example

?Annotated Bibliography for Pro and Con-Second Amendment-Gun Control I. Arguments in Favor of Gun Control Aldred, J., Hebden, S., and Hebden, K. (2008). Who is my neighbour? A church response to social disorder linked to gangs, drugs, guns and knives. London, UK: Churches Together in England. This research was conducted by a community of churches, showing how the government, with its police force, could have solved gun crimes brought about by gangs. These crimes are closely related to drugs, guns and knives. This report highlights the need for a long-term partnership between various community groups concerned, such as the police, social groups, the local government authorities, and the church. They argue that a proper implementation of policies may be the solution to reduce gun crime. Benady, D. (2007, November 29). Selling an anti-gun culture. Marketing Week, 24-25. A discussion of gun trade from the perspective of those in the market. Several laws on regulating gun trade is built from the premise of leniency of control, and is tantamount to increase in gun-related hostilities. There is less or a deficiency of considerations made to the effects of the control of legal trade of guns, which brings in millions of dollars in a year. Coalition to Stop Gun Violence & Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence. (2008). America’s gun shows: open markets for criminals. PEAR’s 6th Annual Leadership Conference. Cambridge, MA: Program in Education, Afterschool & Resiliency. This is a report regarding the increasing prevalence and access of guns, along with the discussion on the perspective that the more prevalent these guns are before the eyes of the public, the greater the degree of control on gun trade. In this line of argumentation, policies in gun control are proposed to lead to a decrease in crime rate. Coleman, K., Jansson, K., Kaiza, P., & Reed, R. (2007). Homicides, firearm offences and intimate violence 2005/2006: Supplementary volume 1 to crime in England and Wales 2005/2006. London, UK: Home Office Statistical Bulletin. This report focuses on statistical evaluations of various trends of crime such as homicide, and other more “intimate” crimes, such as suicide and parricide. These trends are evaluated in comparison to the data gathered from the police in England and Whales. According to statistics, gun crime victims showed a slight decrease from 75 to 50 from year 2004 to year 2006. Congressional Research Service, Report RS22458. (2008, February 1). Gun control: statutory disclosure limitations on ATF firearms trace data and multiple handgun sales reports. Retrieved from http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RS22458_20080201.pdf This report is an assessment of the implementation of the policy on gun control througout the history of the United States. It aims to show that such a policy has brought about substantial effects to variables such as the increase in gun-related crime, violence, firearm sales, the formation of gangs, and even as far as the increase in the rate of school drop-outs. Cukier, W. and Sidel, V. W. (2006). The global gun epidemic: from Saturday night specials to AK-47s. Westport, CT: Praeger Security International. This report is an assessment of gun trade from a global perspective. It seeks to establish the connection between gun trade and crime. The business of firearms and other weapons is most noteworthy in countries that engage in hostilities such crimes against civilians and other international war crimes. The author argues for the implementation of a policy for gun control. Egley, A., Jr., and Ritz, C. E. (2006). Highlights of the 2004 national youth gang survey (fact sheet). Washington, DC: U. S. Department of Justice. This report shows an attempt to strengthen the connection between violence and the ease of accessibility of guns to that of the youth. It was emphasized that the rise of firearm related violence and the incidence of crimes such as robbery, theft, and physical injuries have been the major concern of many. Thus, a proper implementation of the gun control policy an program is necessary. Golding, B. and McClory, J. (2008). Going ballistic: dealing with guns, gangs and knives G. Lockhart, (Ed.) London, UK: Policy Exchange. This report is another statistical evaluation that aimed to show the real status of crimes that are related to knives and guns, as well as other weapons. This report seeks to draw a connection between the decrease in crime rate and the decrease in the number of people bringing guns and other weapons in the streets. Moreover, this paper looks into pertinent laws regarding guns, knives and other offensive weapons used, and how they are being applied. Emphasis is placed on whether these laws are making substantial developments with regards to crime rate and the number of people bringing offensive weapons to the streets. Hagedorn, J. M. (2007). Gangs, institutions, race and space: the Chicago school revisited. In J. M. Hagedorn (Ed.), Gangs in the Global City: Alternatives to Traditional Criminology (13-33). Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press. This report was entirely done in Chicago. The significance of such is its limitation in its scope of study, i.e. one that looks into crimes and gangs solely within Chicago, which will delineate established effects of culture, either in school or as a state in general, to the increased access of these youths to guns. The connection between the variables and factors that force the youth to join these crime organizations was also examined and compared to the factors governing other states in the US. Hales, G., Lewis, C., and Silverstone, D. (2006) Gun crime: the market in and use of illegal firearms. London, UK: Home Office Research Studies. This paper is a research study concerning the trade of illegal firearms, and its pattern of distribution in the United Kingdom. It seeks to establish the efficiency and impact of applicable laws and policies. This report is vital to this study because an examination of gun control and gun related crime, as well as the development of laws and policies involved herein is the primary focus. Herein, the author cunningly drew connections between gun trades and their impact on legislation that seem to put in the shade other relevant issues that should govern these laws such as criminal behaviour, age, and even ethnic backgrounds. Harcourt, B. E. (2006). Language of the gun: youth, crime and public policy. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press. This book is an examination of the psychology of criminals towards guns, in particular. Actually, this author interviewed youths at an all male correctional facility. Assumptions on gun use were fairly established in many literatures, however, to extract them from the context of a user who does not precisely know handgun policies, may prove to be the link between the increasing accounts of violence using these kinds of offensive weapons, as well as the ramification of the laws and policies regarding gun use. Kaiza, P. (2008, January 31). Homicides, recorded crimes involving ?rearms. In D. Povey, K. Coleman, P. Kaiza, J. Hoare, and K. Jansson, Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2006/07 (Supplementary Volume 2 to Crime in England and Wales 2006/07). London, UK: Home Office Statistical Bulletin. These are statistical evaluations of the trend of several crimes such as homicide, suicide and parricide, to that of gun control laws. The trends are evaluated along with the data gathered from the police within England and Whales. Various perspectives from those who investigate gun related crime and violence were also infused into the scenario. Based on statistics, a proper implementation of such laws are thus called for. Katz, C. M and Webb, V. J. (2006). Policing Gangs in America. New York: Cambridge University Press. This paper looks into the various gangs and violent youth groups in the United States. It is an examination of the measures and frustrations of the police department. There are discussions of loopholes and ambiguities of the law, and how it has prevented law enforcement agencies to conducts a proper and appropriate method of implementation. Klein, M. W. and Maxson C. L. (2006). Street Gang Patterns and Control. New York: Oxford University Press. A methodical enquiry on how street gangs develop. There is also an examination of the co-evolution of the structure of the gangs to how the gun laws have been modified in years. The writer cleverly portrayed a race between the progression of gangs as well as street crimes. It was shown that the rise in gangs mutually correspond to the rise in gun-related policies. Lockhart, G., McClory, J. and Qvortrup, M. (2007, December 10). Gun and knife crime in Great Britain. Policy Exchange. Retrieved from http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/images/publications/pdfs/Gun_and_Knife_Crime_in_Great_Britain_-_Sep__07.pdf This paper is an aim to explore of previous notes, literature, and studies about gun control and crime rate. There is also an all-inclusive conversation and discourse on how the government and the authorities reacted to these reports and studies. To add to that, the development of such laws was traced as a reaction to these reports on gun related crime. Mocan, N. and Tekin, E. (2006). Guns and Juvenile Crime. The Journal of Law and Economics, 49, 507-531. This research study is an investigation on the ramifications of the prevalence of guns and its relation to crimes against property such robbery, theft, burglary and other crimes of property damage by juveniles. Statistics employed in this study, using a nationally represented data of youth in America, has shown that there is a positive relationship between the availability of guns at home and inclination of these youths to commit the crimes enumerated. However, this study also indicated that the presence of guns at home does not at all show a relationship between juvenile behaviour such as fighting, drinking and having sex. Roberts, C. (2006) The informal social control of gun violence in Brixton, London (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation) Surrey University, United Kingdom. It was back in 1990 where gun violence in Brixton illustrated to the world a form of “black-on-black” hostility, contrary to what is usually reported, where the white race commit violence to the black race and vice versa. However, social scientists feared the misconception that could develop in this framework, such as the need to reinforce a form of informal social control in an area where there has been no substantial studies done yet. In this regard, this paper serves as a systematic discussion of the findings of a study of an ethic group in Brixton and the informal social control of guns for a period of 4 years. It was illustrated in the study that several unsophisticated forms of social control have substantial effects on the detection rates of these crimes but lesser on the offending rates. Statistics Canada (2008, February 20). Study: Firearms and Violent Crime: 2006. The Daily. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/080220/dq080220-eng.pdf A study that shows statistical evaluations between firearms and violent crimes. It ws shown that the increase in crime rate correlated with the ease of use and access to offensive weapons and firearms. Gun Probe Yields Hundreds of Weapons Used in Crimes. (2007, March 5). The Associated Press. Retrieved from http://www.policeone.com/investigations/articles/1226620-Gun-probe-yields-hundreds-of-weapons-used-in-crimes/ This paper, although published online, provides an in-depth third person perspective of the prevalence of violence and the escalating decree of gun crimes in relation to the lack of government control to gun trades. The Street Weapons Commission. (2008). The street weapons commission report. London, UK: Cherie Booth, Liam Black, Lord Dear, Prof. Gus John, Mark Johnson, Ian Levy, Fay Selvan, and Prof. Howard Williamson. This is a report conducted by the Street Weapons Commission that examined gun and knife-related crimes in the streets of Britain. This is a report that shows a comprehensive statistical assessment and data analysis of the number of young people that routinely brings knives and guns. Vernick J. S., Webster D.W., Bulzacchelli M.T., and Mair J.S. (2006). Regulation of firearm dealers in the United States: An analysis of state law and opportunities for improvement. The Journal of Law and Medical Ethics, 34(4), 765-775. This is an examination of the strengths of the laws of several states in the United States. The results were ranked according to the degree of how well it is implemented, as well as its effect on crime rate. It was shown that California was deemed as the strongest with Arizona as the weakest. Wintemute, Garen J. (2007). Gun shows across a multistate American gun market: observational evidence of the effects of regulatory policies. Injury Prevention, 13, 150-156. doi: 10.1136/ip.2007.016212 Gun trade has always been the primary suspect for the increase in the availability of these weapons. However, what was left relaxed is the examination of the regulatory policies to gun trade is if these regulatory policies has, in itself, affected crime rate. An overemphasis on the parallelism of a decrease in the volume of guns in the market would also decrease crime rate, was greatly feared, taking for granted the possibility that many regulatory laws were in fact geared against crime prevention. II. Arguments Against Gun Control Action for Children. (2008, April 17). Step inside our shoes: young people's views on gun and knife crime. Retrieved from http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/news/98/Step-Inside-Our-Shoes-Consultation-reveals-widespread-fears-of-young-people-on-gun-and-knife-crime This report exemplifies the differing reactions of society regarding its concern for the escalating participation of the youth in crimes, as well as identifiying the factors that led to such phenomenon. A major factor herein is gun control. The children’s charity NCH on gun and knife crime aimed to investigate the causes that lead children to engage in various gun and knife crime. It was proposed that in order to alleviate the problem regarding gun and knife crime, fully funded outreach services ought to be conducted in order to make these children reach their potential. Adshead, G. (2007). Violence and gun crime. British Medical Journal, 335(7625), 837. This is a highly technical paper wherein the author has cleverly established the social, legal, and even the cultural connection of violence with crimes, to that of the possession and ownership of guns. Since the paper is published in a medical journal, the connection of violence is further established in relation to the victims of such gun crimes. This paper argues for the priority of protecting children, as well as reducing social exclusions, and not simply towards policies on gun control. Bullock, K. and Tilley, N. (2008) Understanding and tackling gang violence. Crime Prevention and Community Safety, 10.1, 36-47. This journal article aims to analyze the roots of gang violence, not in the context of the availability of guns and other offensive weapons, but in the context where guns only serve as tools rather than culprits for aggression. The train of thought herein has been highly attuned to believing that the availability of guns is the focal cause of violence. However, a closer assessment of the problem would reveal that social and even cultural factors primarily serve as the main driving force of crime, which are mostly termed as “hate crimes.” Thus, a program aimed towards specific patterns of violent behavior, rather than gun control policy, ought to help alleviate the problem. Clements, J. (2007, August 25). Flood of Russian guns. Daily Mirror. Retrieved from http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2007/08/25/flood-of-russian-guns-115875-19686056/ This is a report conducted from a third person point of view on guns and gun control. Herein, the author defines a simple connection between the prevalence of guns to that of gun-related crimes. The author suggests that the prevalence of guns would not produce an increase in gun associated crimes. Rather, an increase in access to these weapons, coupled with the fact that they are not implemented and controlled by the respective authorities, would definitely point to the prevalence of gun crime. Edwards, A. and Sheptycki, J. (2009) Third wave criminology: guns, crime and social order. Criminology and Criminal Justice, 9, 379-397. Doi: 10.1177/1748895809336698 This highly technical paper aims to investigate crime and violence, not from the perspective of the proliferation of firearms in a certain criminal network, but as an aberration of the moral fibers of society. The author points out that the real social predicament is not the existence and the use of guns, amy it be controlled or not, rather, it is merely the symptoms of a broader social problem. Complications that arise such as gun deregulation for those responsible gun holders and issues on their personal liberty, as well as other constitutional rights are being raised. This paper is exhibits the interrelation of these perspectives within the context of creating viable laws for good governance. Firmin, C., Turner, R., and Gavrielides, T. (2007). Building Bridges Project: empowering young people through human rights values: fighting the knife culture. Retrieved from http://www.rota.org.uk/Downloads/BBP%20Final%20report%20phase%201%20Executive%20Summary.pdf Although this report does not focus on gun related aggression, this report displays a thorough evaluation of the cultural evolution of gang related violence. This report is highly recommended because the connections drawn are from the context of human rights and civil liberties. The authors suggest that the increase in gun related crime and violence is a prevalence phenomenon in deprived areas where social exclusion and inequality transpire. Garside, R. (2006). Right for the wrong reasons: making sense of criminal justice failure. In R. Garside and W. McMahon (Eds.), Does Criminal Justice Work? The ‘Right for the Wrong Reasons’ Debate. London, UK: Crime and Society Foundation. Despite the presence of laws, whose purpose is to help solve crimes in the country, the populace is still threatened and their lives remain unsecured from gun related crimes. This sentiment is primarily due to the increasing in crime rate and other related social atrocities. These lead society to question the implementation of the law over these incidents, and if in fact it has served its purpose. This question however sparked a debate between the police force, pointing out that the law itself is not enough, and that there are varied constitutional rights being preserved that prevented them from fully implementing such laws. These various factors were examined and scrutinized substantially in this paper. Glover, J. and Travis, A. (2007, February 23). Teenage gang shootings blamed on family breakdown, poll reveals: schools and police failings also held responsible: prevention as important as new laws, says Reid. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/opus713/ccjs_gun_crime_report.pdf A news article on the view that there is a loose connection between the number of guns available in the market and violence. What the author of this article aims to point out as the main culprit is the misplaced or lack of family ties of these aggressive youths. The author argues that the society should start looking into the foundation rather than in altering and implementing laws that may have limited effects to these crimes. Hales, G. (2008, May 14). Guns in Yemen: culture, violence and realpolitik [PDF Document]. Retrieved from York University conference documents: http://www.osgoode.yorku.ca/conferences/documents/2008-05-1416NC.pdf This paper attempts to illustrate the status of violence in the country of Yemen, which was dubbed to be as the most heavily-armed society in the world today. It is shown in this documentary report, how gun and firearms have become an integral part in their society. Guns reflect a tribesmen’s identity and at the same time, it is the centre of Yemen’s culture of blood feuds, honour and revenge. However, in Yemen, these tribes have become an important tool for the regulation of gun use, as seen through tribe mediation. The values and cultures of Yemen therefore show how culture, rather than policy or law, can normalize and standardize gun use and crime. Hudson, S. (2008). Getting gun crime under control. Magistrate, 64, 98-99. This paper analyses the shift and change in the trend of gun ownership and the number of recorded incidents of firearm related crime. Other considerations were also placed in the picture in order to test whether these variables are correlated to each other. Emphasis was placed on the developments made in policy with regards to gun ownership and crime, as well the knowledge of policies of gun users. International Association of Chiefs of Police. (2007, September 19). Taking a stand: reducing gun violence in our communities. Retrieved from http://www.theiacp.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2Fs0LiOkJK5Q%3D&tabid=87 This is an international evaluation of gun policies and whether or not they have been effective in delivering the effects they were designed to accomplish. Some policies have failed while others seem to trigger a larger extent of gun exploitation and an increase in crime rate. Kates, D. and Mauser, G. (2006) Would banning fireairms reduce murder and suicide? A review of international and some domestic evidence. Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, 30(2), 649-694. Despite numerous factual errors and lack of coherent evidence about guns and violence, this paper seeks to look at the mantra of “more guns mean more deaths; fewer guns fewer deaths”. What society often assumed was that these are two highly related phenomena. However, these correlations are often a misconception and brought about by fear and the lack of explanations to attach with the occurrence of deaths. Interestingly, this study argues that claims, when unfounded by evidence, become totally false: that the United States have laws that in a unique way makes guns more available to its citizens compared to other modern countries, is related to the elevated number of gun crimes in the US. Squires, P. (2007). Police Perceptions of Gang and Gun Related Offending: A Key Informant Survey. Magnet Project Report: Modelling analysis of Gun Crime Networks. Retrieved from http://www.brighton.ac.uk/sass/contact/staffprofiles/pas1-magnet.pdf A look on how the perception of the police force with regards to gang violence and other crimes perpetrated by gangs or gang members was the main focus in this work. It was shown that the gang violence and crimes has affected the roles of the police force, not only to defend the guiltless and to safeguard them, but also, as to whether they have fulfilled their duties to safeguard everyone and give them the constitutionally provided rights that are due to them. Squires, P., Grimshaw, R., and Solomon, E. (2008). Gun crime: A review of evidence and policy. King’s College London: Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. The authors gave an impressive review of the evolution of the present gun and gun control policies, and if whether or not they comprehensively respond to the social needs of the populace, which aims to protect them against violence. Several factors that prevented these goals were also provided, as well as how they can be ceased. Virginia Tech. (2009). Mass shootings at Virginia Tech: addendum to the report of the review panel. Arlington, VA: TriData Division, System Planning Corporation. A report of one of the most well known gun related crime that happened in an educational institution within the recent years. This report looks into the role of these academic institutions, not only in the prevention of crimes and violence inside the campus, but also, in the running of a campus that looks into the psychological and emotional wellbeing of its student. Emphasis was placed on notions, which show that perhaps, it was not the fact that a criminal was holding a gun or has access to a gun but rather, the reasons and causes that prompted a criminal to pull the trigger. Wright, R., Brookman, F., and Bennett, T. (2006). The foreground dynamics of street robbery in Britain. The British Journal of Criminology, 46(1), 1-15. Focused on the prevalent crime of street robbery, this article looks into the effects of actually having a gun and what actually pushes a victim to do the crime. An investigation on what makes a person resort to robbery was showed. Herien, a comparative analysis between the “need” and the “ease” in committing a crime was made. Wyrick, P. (2006). Gang prevention: how to make the front end of your gang program work. United States Attorneys’ Bulletin, 54(3), 52-60. Legal insights on various loopholes of anti-gang programs and advice on how to make them work in the context of several factors such as where the incident happened, who was or were the victims, the ethological background and educational aspect of the perpetrators were closely inspected in this study. Emphasis was placed on a balance of prevention, intervention and suppression, in order to succeed in preventing gang proliferation and gun crime. Read More