Should Gun Control Laws Be More Strict in the United States - Literature review Example

Gun Control Within the profession of Criminology, gun control is a significant research problem. The three topics addressing this research problem include gun control and its effects, gun related crimes, and gun control laws in United States of America. Gun Control and Its Impact Gun control varies from one country to another and from one state to another. In many countries including the U.S, the government allows citizens to acquire and carry guns subject to certain restrictions. The U.S has moderate gun control laws that vary across different states. There have been numerous debates on gun control with some arguing that gun control laws 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 the U.S reinstate the debate on the need for strict gun controls. Moreover, numerous non-governmental organizations like the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (Coalition to Stop Gun Violence1), Stop Handgun Violence, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence 1), Million Mom March, and the National Rifle Association advocate for strict gun control laws in America. Nevertheless, the current gun control laws in America derive significant impact on the country. Indeed, gun controls influence the crime levels in America. 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). As such, various organizations and the federal government have been pushing for strict gun control laws in the U.S to eliminate the private dealers and regulate the access, possession, and use of guns in America. This would relevantly reduce violent crime and gun related homicides in U.S. Gun Related Crimes The rise in violent crime especially in public shootings reintroduces the debate on the need for strict gun control laws in the U.S. Indeed, despite the current gun control laws, America has the greatest gun ownership rate in the world and the most gun related homicides. About 44 million people in U.S own guns where most handguns foster most homicides in the U.S (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 1). The current gun control laws allow more people to possess and carry guns thus increasing gun related crimes in America. 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). Although 12 percent of Americans believe the gun crime rate is lower today than it was in 1993 (Chappell 1), the FBI recorded an increase in the number of murders by firearm in 2012 (Chalabi 1). Indeed, in every 3 hours, one child dies from a bullet in America (Stop Handgun Violence 1). Young people, gang members, and illegal gun owners are responsible for the increased gun homicides in America. 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). In fact, there is an increase in the number street gangs operating in suburban schools and in rural schools. Moreover, the murder of 13 people on in 2013 at a U.S. navy yard in Washington manifested the gun related crimes in U.S. This gun shooting was significant in that it took place on a U.S naval base in Washington that has one of the lowest gun crime rates in the U.S with 106 gun related homicides (Chalabi 1). However, the number of mass killings and firearm related murders has been decreasing in the recent past according to 2012 Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics (Chappell 1). Nevertheless, while there is a decrease in the number of murders committed by rifles and shotguns, murders committed by handguns have been increasing since 2011 (Chalabi 1). The greatest gun related crimes take place in California while Alabama with one firearm murder, Vermont with 2 firearm murders, and Guam with no firearm murder in 2012 have the lowest gun related crimes in America (Chalabi 1). Most notable is the fact that the number of gun related crimes is still high in U.S with the Pew Center study recording 31,672 deaths from guns in the U.S in 2010 (Chappell 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 America by limiting gun ownership, gun use, and eliminating private dealers. With such laws, gun related crimes would reduce in America. Gun Control Laws In the U.S, different states have distinct gun control laws. Indeed, unlike Canada that requires all potential gun buyers to fill out Firearms Acquisition Certificates, strict gun control laws lack in America. The Second Amendment to the American Constitution is at the center of gun control laws and gun rights in America 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 (U.S. News & World Report 1). This forces the gun rights and gun control groups to lobby the Congress to institute strict gun control laws in America (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. Obama approved the 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 America. Impact Analysis Gun control can influence criminology if professionals in this field do not address the problem in details. In the modern world, criminology addresses violent crime as one of the most fundamental problems facing the society (Kleck and Britt 249). Indeed, even the public reckons that crime is now a global and societal problem. The aspect of gun control and its influence on violent crime and criminology has been a major debate in the recent times. The problem of gun controls affects criminology in that they define the debates on criminology and determine the levels of gun related crime in the world. The question as to whether gun ownership protects populations from crime or reduces violent crimes is a major point of debate in criminology. Some professionals in criminology argue that gun control laws infringe our constitutional right to self-defense and claims that there is no concrete evidence that shows how gun control reduces violent crime. On the other hand, other professionals in criminology argue that gun controls lead to fewer firearms and reduce the crime rates in the society. There is abject need to address the disputes on the effectiveness of gun controls with relation to reduce global crime. Otherwise, professionals in criminology will lack a clear approach on how to reduce crime in the world. It is arguably true that regulations on firearms and clearly defined gun control laws can greatly reduce criminology rates. With reference to gun control, criminology assumes that gun ownership has a net positive effect on crime rates (Kleck and Britt 250). Nevertheless, no credible evidence supports this assumption and hence the need to address gun control laws. Criminology also considers the aspect of mental illness and gun ownership with a view of ascertaining which factor promotes crime in the society. Gun control regulates gun ownership and hence professionals consider the relationship of gun ownership to firearms deaths and the relationship of mental illness to firearms deaths. However, various researches show the significance of gun control in criminology by asserting that more guns leads to more deaths in the society. Indeed, gun ownership is a strong and independent factor that promotes gun-related crimes. For instance in the Aurora, Tucson, Oak Creek, Virginia Tech shooting, the New York doctors established that gun ownership was the main factor that motivated the killer and not his mental illness (Boseley 1). Indeed, other studies confirm that high gun ownership do not make a country safe and hence the need to regulate gun ownership. Failure to address the gun control laws that can effectively curb violent crime will jeopardize the mission of criminology, which seeks to identify and reduce crimes in the society. Notably, the U.S, which has the greatest number of guns per head, records the greatest number of gun related deaths in the world. Indeed, in U.S, 10.2 per 100,000 people have guns (Boseley 1) and more than 31,672 people die from guns in the U.S according to Pew Center study (Chappell 1). Japan has the lowest rate of gun ownership and the least number of gun related deaths, which draws a clear correlation between gun controls, and gun related crimes. This confirms the need of addressing gun controls in criminology. The support for strict gun controls is magnificent in cities that experience high crime rates and where gun controls lead to a significant drop in violent crimes (Boseley 1). Indeed, cities with stricter gun controls record limited gun related crimes. For example, states with concealed weapons laws like Texas record very few incidences of gun related crimes (Lott 1). The lack of strict gun control laws lead to high crime rates, which generate fear thus motivating people to arm themselves. This derives a vicious cycle, which increases gun ownership, gun availability, and gun related crimes (Boseley 1). This justifies the need to address gun control in criminology. Furthermore, other studies show that although certain gun control laws prevent criminals from engaging in criminal activities, such laws do not necessarily force criminals to give up their criminal lives and hence the need for strict gun control laws. Indeed, the Democratic Party reckons that the solution to violent crimes is establishing strict gun control. Otherwise, this problem will influence criminology in the future. Works Cited “An Overview of Gun Control in US, Canada and Globally.” Coalition for Gun Control. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 February 2014. “Gun control and gun rights.” U.S. News & World Report. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://www.usnews.com/topics/subjects/gun-control-and-gun-rights> “Gun Violence in the United States.” Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/gun_violence/sect01.html> “Leading Gun Violence Prevention Expert Commends Administration’s Executive Actions on Mental Health and Gun Access.” COALITION TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE. N.p., 3 January 2014. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://csgv.org/> “Stop Handgun Violence.” Stop Handgun Violence. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 February 2014. “US gun debate: Guns in numbers.” BBC NEWS. N.p., 16 January 2013. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20759139> “Why Gun laws matter.” Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. N.p., 2013. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://www.bradycampaign.org/> Boseley, Sarah. “High gun ownership makes countries less safe, US study finds.” The Guardian. N.p., 18 September 2013. Web. 20 February 2014. Chalabi, Mona. “Gun crime statistics by US state.” The Guardian. N.p., 17 September 2013. Web. 20 February 2014. < http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/sep/17/gun-crime-statistics-by-us-state> Chappell, Bill. “Rate of U.S. Gun Violence Has Fallen Since 1993, Study Says.” npr. N.p., 7 May 2013. Web. 20 February 2014. < http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/07/181998015/rate-of-u-s-gun-violence-has-fallen-since-1993-study-says> Evans, Natalie. “Boy aged 12 pulled gun from musical instrument case and shot two classmates’.” Mirror News. N.p., 15 January 2014. Web. 12 February 2014. Goode, Erica. “Sheriffs Refuse to Enforce Laws on Gun Control.” New York Times. N.p., 15 December 2013. Web. 12 February 2014. < http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/16/us/sheriffs-refuse-to-enforce-laws-on-gun-control.html> Kleck, Gary, and Britt Patterson. “The Impact of Gun Control and Gun Ownership.” Journal of Quantitative Criminology. 9.3 (1993): 249-287. Print. Lott, John. More Guns Equal Less Violent Crime. Web. 12 February 2014. Siddiqui, Sabrina. “Obama Pledges Gun Control With Or Without Congress In 2014 State of the Union Address.” Huffington post. N.p., 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> Read More