Gun Control in the United States - Essay Example

Gun Control in the United s In the profession of Criminology, there are a number of issues related to Gun Control, which forms part of a major security debate. This has been rightly so especially considering the senseless public shootings that have occurred in the past. In order to ensure the safety and security of all Americans, proper gun control mechanisms need to be enhanced. Indeed, there is a compelling need to put more emphasis on Gun Control especially in the United States where such vices are more prevalent. In this regard, this paper addresses the whole topic of Gun Control b looking at the issues related to gun control, examining the gun related crimes, and control laws in United States of America. Certainly, a myriad of issues related to gun control exist particularly considering the fact that gun control policies varies from one country to another and from one state to another. In many countries including US, the government allows citizens to acquire and carry guns subject to certain restrictions. While countries have strict laws on gun control, the US has moderate gun control laws that vary across different states. There have been numerous debates on gun control with some arguing that gun control reduces the potential hazards of increased gun ownership while others argue that stringent gun control laws will demean the liberty of the citizens. Indeed, the increased public shootings in US in the recent past reinstate the debate on the need for strict gun controls in the United States. Moreover, there have been numerous non-governmental organizations and movements like the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (“Coalition to Stop Gun Violence” 1), Stop Handgun Violence, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (“Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence” 1), Million Mom March, and National Rifle Association which strict gun control laws in US. Nevertheless, the current gun control laws in US derive significant impact on the country. Indeed, gun controls influence the crime levels in US. The call for strict gun control laws reduces the level of violent crimes in large cities (Lott 1). However, the gun control laws led to the increase of private dealers who have no restrictions to buying guns (“Stop Handgun Violence” 1). This fosters the availability of guns in the illegal market. As such, various organizations and the federal government have been pushing for strict gun control laws in US to eliminate the private dealers and regulate the access, possession, and use of guns in US. This would relevantly reduce violent crime and gun related homicides in US. For the past one decade, gun related crimes have been on the rise for instance public shootings and this reintroduces the debate on the need for strict gun control laws in US. Indeed, despite the current gun control laws, US have the greatest gun ownership rate in the world and the most gun related homicides. There are more than 44 million gun owners in US where most of the handguns contribute to most homicides in US (“Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention” 1). The current gun control laws allow more people to possess and carry guns out of their homes thus increasing gun related crimes in US. Unlike Canada and other European nations that have strict gun control laws (“Coalition for Gun Control” 1), America has the highest gun violence where about 10,000 people died by gun violence in the U.S in 2013 and about 83 people die by the gun every day in America (“Stop Handgun Violence” 1). Young people, gang members, and illegal gun owners are responsible for the increased gun homicides in US. For instance, young people as young as 12 years old participated in public shootings at Columbine High School, the gunman shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, and the Berrendo Middle School shooting in Roswell (Evans 1). These criminals access guns from the internet, gun shows, and private gun dealers who do not restrict gun ownership. As such, it is necessary to establish stringent gun control laws that would reduce gun violence in US by limiting gun ownership, gun use, and eliminating private dealers. With such laws, gun related crimes would reduce in US. Gun control laws vary by state in US that have notorious gun control laws with some states imposing more stringent laws while others adopting more lenient gun control laws. Indeed, unlike Canada that requires all potential gun buyers to fill out Firearms Acquisition Certificates, strict gun control laws lack in U.S. The Second Amendment to the American Constitution is at the center of gun control laws and gun rights in US, where it protects the right of every American to possess a gun for personal protection. Indeed, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protects an individual’s right to own a gun for personal use at the state and local level (“U.S. News & World Report” 1). Nevertheless, the ruling did not specify what gun laws should apply to the Second Amendment. This forces the gun rights and gun control groups to lobby the Congress to institute strict gun control laws in US (“U.S. News & World Report” 1). Notably, the Congress and the U.S Presidency conflict on gun control laws with the Congress rejecting the President’s proposal. The US President approved measures seeking to strengthen background checks for gun purchasers, with a particular focus on mental health (Siddiqui 1). However, gun control laws lack consistency in US where certain states will not require any registration or permits to buy or carry guns while others like New York and New Jersey ban the sale of assault weapons (“BBC NEWS” 1). Indeed, about 33 states disregard background checks for people buying guns from private dealers (“Stop Handgun Violence” 1). However, we have new rules in Colorado, which requires background checks for private gun transfers and outlaw magazines over 15 rounds. Notably, most gun stores are following these controls despite the resistance from the sheriffs in Colorado (Goode 1). This resistance questions the sustainability and effectiveness of such controls. The public shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown intensified the national debate on gun control forcing President Obama to call for sweeping new gun control measures aimed at clarifying restrictions on gun ownership for the mentally ill and bolstering a database used for firearms background checks (Evans 1). As such, there is need for stricter gun control laws in US. . Works Cited BBC NEWS. US gun debate: Guns in numbers. 16 January 2013. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20759139> Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Why Gun laws matter. 2013. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://www.bradycampaign.org/> Coalition for Gun Control. An Overview of Gun Control in US, Canada and Globally. Web. 12 February 2014. http://guncontrol.ca/overview-gun-control-us-canada-global/ Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. Leading Gun Violence Prevention Expert Commends Administration’s Executive Actions on Mental Health and Gun Access. 3 January 2014. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://csgv.org/> Evans, Natalie. Boy aged 12 pulled gun from musical instrument case and shot two classmates’. 15 January 2014. Web. 12 February 2014. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/roswell-shooting-boy-12-pulled-3024350 Goode, Erica. Sheriffs Refuse to Enforce Laws on Gun Control. 15 December 2013. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/16/us/sheriffs-refuse-to-enforce-laws-on-gun-control.html> Lott, John. More Guns Equal Less Violent Crime. Web. 12 February 2014. http://www.largo.org/Lott.html Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Gun Violence in the United States. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/gun_violence/sect01.html> Siddiqui, Sabrina. Obama Pledges Gun Control With Or Without Congress In 2014 State of the Union Address. 28 January 2014. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/28/obama-gun-control-state-of-the-union_n_4684426.html?utm_hp_ref=gun-control> Stop Handgun Violence. Stop Handgun Violence. 2014. Web. 12 February 2014. http://www.stophandgunviolence.org/ U.S. News & World Report. gun control and gun rights. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://www.usnews.com/topics/subjects/gun-control-and-gun-rights> Read More