...Gun control will not alleviate violence Individuals who fight for gun control focus on extinct items that are not the true issue.. Society needs to protect themselves due to recent cuts in public safety. If there is an emergency, the response time could mean life and death. The current gun control laws are vague and open up debate for interpretation. A segment of society is not supposed to bear arms because of their past transgressions but we should not base our argument on an irresponsible people who have unauthorized access to firearms. Since 1997, New York has had a 20% decrease in crime since implementing their crime tracking system. This system requires police to attend local meeting to discuss how to combat crime. (Gardiner, 2011, p. A.21). Individuals are responsible for these crimes and responsible adults should have the ability to own firearms. Increased gun safety education as well as training is more important to decreasing violence. Restricting the criminals and not the firearms will go further to resolve this issue. Everyone has the right to bear arms as stated in the US Constitution. In January of 2008, President Bush signed a measure to include the criminal mental health records when doing back ground checks (Schumer, 2008). A gentleman bought a gun at a gun show and shot a Priest and parishioner...
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...Gun Control in America Gun control is a debate topic that comes up every election and when a major event happens that involving guns. Pro-gun lobbyists say “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people” [ (Hagan, 2007) ] the anti-gun advocates want to take away the right to bear arms. This topic has no right or wrong answer it is a preference of the individual. This is why gun control is such a fiercely debated topic. Implementing gun control Gun control cannot determine an accurate measurement according to research as there are two key components to the research lacking. What is the crime rate with no gun control? There is no documented research showing what the baseline is without gun control. Different government parties have each placed their own gun controls as a universal solution. These controls are mandatory locks sold with every gun purchase, and limitations on different classification of guns a citizen may own (Moorhouse & Wanner, 2006). Part two of measuring gun control is making sure the gun control laws are in place along with proper enforcement of the law. An example of this could have a blanket gun control law for a state. Each county within that state will potentially have a different outcome of this law. With the effort their law enforcement offices and judicial system place on enforcing that law. Gun control law enforcement is a large part of the accurate measurement of the effects of gun control (Moorhouse & Wanner, 2006). The present laws in place...
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...Limit the buying and selling of guns Limit the buying and selling of guns Limit ammunition magazine sizes Limit ammunition magazine sizes Stronger Gun Control Laws in the United States Stronger Gun Control Laws in the United States Understand the psychology of the killer Understand the psychology of the killer Reinstate the Crime and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 Reinstate the Crime and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 1. Narrowed Topic Stricter Gun Control Laws in the United States I chose this topic because it is something that interests me a lot. I believe that it is absolutely absurd how many mass shooting occur in the United States each year. We are supposed to be the best country on Earth, yet so many innocent people are killed each year. When I go out to public places, I am always extra careful of my surroundings and what is going on around me because you never know what can happen at any place and anytime. You cannot trust anyone and you never know who can turn on you in just minutes. My dad and my other my family members work in law enforcement and it sickens me every time I hear about a scary job that they were apart of or even when you hear on the news that another police officer was shot and killed by a criminal. We are the United States, we have a solution to pretty much every problem out there, I strongly believe that something can and must be done to stop all of this unnecessary gun violence in our country. 2. Preliminary Claim: The United States...
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...argued that we are currently living in a culture of violence. As we watch, read or listen to the news; daily incidents of individuals becoming victims of gun violence trumps the headlines. With tragic incidents such as the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Connecticut that occurred in December of 2012, as well as the mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado in July of 2012 occurring less than six months away from each other, prompted debate on a national level regarding the importance of gun control and mental illness. Other highly publicized mass shootings, such as the one that occurred in Tucson, Arizona in January of 2011, involving former US Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the mass shooting at Virginia Tech, along with the two events mentioned above, “all shared two common characteristics: all four shooters were mentally ill, and all four used guns with large capacity magazines, allowing them to fire multiple rounds of ammunition without reloading (Barry, 2013).” As the Second Amendment guarantees an individual’s right to bear arms, the issue at hand is: how can the government prevent guns from landing in the wrong hands, while at the same time, providing better mental health services for those in need. In this paper, I will explore and compare the agenda setting process regarding two landmark gun control legislations that were passed along with the agenda setting process today – proposed by President Obama in the wake of the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook...
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...Gun Control Research Gun control is an ongoing, heated debate in America. Various states have decided to take action against guns as a deterrent to crime. Nevertheless, are guns really the main factor in causing crimes, or are the criminals themselves to blame? There are two sides involved with the gun debate. The anti-gun campaign with supporters like Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Cease Fire, and Mothers Against Violence in America are pressuring the government to have stricter laws or ban guns all together. On the other side of the debate, the most prominently heard voice it that of the National Rifle Association or NRA. However, there are others such as Women Against Gun Control and Gun Owners of America. The pro-gun lobbyists are trying to convince the government that outlawing guns will not affect the criminals but leave the honest individual defenseless. Guns are a necessary form of self-protection because the majority of the gun control laws we have are ineffective, criminals are able to obtain guns no matter how many laws we have against it, and the new “smart” technology will only hurt us in the long run. Guns, when used and operated correctly, can be a very effective form of self-protection. “There is only one police officer on patrol for every 3,300 people” (Polsby and Brennen 3). This is probably one of many reasons that “about 83 percent of the population will be victims of violent crime at some point in their lives” (Polsby and Brennen 3). Statistics...
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...EN1320 Research Paper Final Draft Gun Control In America Today In the United States there is a need for better gun control legislature, but some Activists are beginning to intrude on United States citizen’s second amendment rights. John Paul Stevens a former member of the U.S. Supreme Court believes we should change the second amendment. Then people who feel that all guns should only be in the hands of law enforcement and military personnel. Some feel that there is only a need for simple back ground checks and a wait time until the person can be properly cleared to own a firearm. A new form of gun control are a new gun manufactures that believe the future of the industry and gun safety is in smart weapons which can only be fired by the registered owner. This is a issue that has been debated on for many years for one reason or another while the gun control law has made few changes its a issue that needs attention and change. I feel the current laws do need changing but do not need to be pushed so far that the rights of the citizens should take a back seat to the Gun Control issue. Former U.S. Supreme Court member John Paul Stevens feels that the only way to have gun control is to change the second amendment. His feelings are that most pro gun Activists misunderstands the second amendment. The second amendment states “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a...
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...Gun Control Debate Paper Today in the United States gun control is a topic of immense debate, because of the shooting that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary located in Newtown, Connecticut. This most recent tragic event ended the lives of 20 students and six adults. Similar events have occurred across the United States at a movie theater in Colorado, on college campuses in Texas and Virginia, or at the grocery store in Arizona each destroying families in many communities. The questions deserving consideration is have the American people had enough lives destroyed by these horrible events and are Americans ready for the federal government to impose stricter gun control laws. Learning Team C is for stricter gun control laws and will outline their thoughts in this debate paper. Current Gun Laws For numerous Americans, bearing arms is one of the important inalienable rights that each individual possess. This association originated during the period of American frontier history, where guns were vital in the expansion of the society moving westward. These settlers relied on guns to guard themselves from others that would cause them harm, vicious animal attacks as well as hunting for food. In rural states, developing shooting and survival skills is a ‘rite of passage’ before entering manhood. Currently, in metropolitan cities young men still use firearms as a means to gain acceptance, respect, and to prove their manhood. During the past few decades several gun control...
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...The debate over the use of tasers by law enforcement always seems to heat up whenever there has been a taser death. Taser guns are an electric shock weapons that temporarily incapacitates the nerve transmission, disrupting voluntary muscle control. Tasers are used worldwide by many countries; some consider them to be firearms or safe police self-defense weapons, while others may view them as harmful killers. Tasers are the registered trademark of the company Taser International, who is also the original manufacturer, and the word is actually an acronym that stands for Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle. Created in 1974 by Jack Coker and later improved upon with the help of Tom Smith, who together started the company Taser International (Sun-Sentinel). It is a gun that stuns people by shocking the sensory and motor nerves to produce strong involuntary muscle contractions. In the world of stun guns, tasers that can project out are preferred by law enforcement officers. This reason is because they do not rely on the pain alone as these cause involuntary control. Enough to subdue the person all while maintain a safe distance. Although they were originally introduced as safe nonlethal weapons for self-defense, law enforcement has used them to control fleeing or aggressive suspects. Tasers then hit controversy when they were believed to have resulted in some deaths and severe injuries. One of the most publicized deaths involving a Taser occurred in Canada. A government investigation...
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...Gun violence is not a new issue, nor is gun control a new argument. The “war on guns” dates all the way back to the infancy of the United States of America; the right to bear arms was guaranteed in the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, and has been seen, in the more than two centuries since, as a cornerstone of American liberty. However, in the last few years, repeated mass killings have placed the gun control debate at the eye of the American political storm. In an effort to balance beliefs from both ends of the political spectrum - that gun ownership needs to be protected, while restricted enough to keep guns out of the hands of those who may do deadly harm with them - has come a lack of serious, effective legislation on the matter. The Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act - seen at its enactment as a milestone in the gun control movement - has proven itself ineffective at preventing the type of mass shooting that is, unfortunately, all too common today. These killings, and the high rates of gun violence overall, challenge the core values of social work practice, and the short- and long-term economic impact of this violence is, at best, counter-productive. Based on the research outlined in this document, it is necessary as social workers to create a culture of safety, and as a country to enact sensible gun...
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...America Need Stricter Laws and Gun Control Are guns in our society getting out of control? The main weapon used to engage in violence is the gun. Gun violence has claimed many Americans that we are the leading country in crimes animated by guns. These guns are claiming the lives of people, ranging from babies, to adults, and even to the elderly. I see people killed because of gang related incidents, robberies, road range, mass shootings, and many pointless situation. There are too many guns out on our streets today. Hand guns are just causing too many deaths. We need to have stricter laws for gun control. After all these recent shootings, it is needed. My solution to stop the gun violence is to require a background check every time a firearm is sold, take military grade weapons off the streets and out of criminal’s hand, and have a better data, coordination and enforcement. First, the only way to determine whether an individual is prohibited from purchasing a firearm under state or federal law is to conduct an instant background check. The number of crimes involving guns are increasing more and more, because of how easy it is to have one. Under the current law, gun transfers by people other than licensed federal firearm dealers, are exempted from background checks. These so called “private sellers”, people who maintain that they are not “engaged in business”, are not required to perform checks. I believe that the government needs to crack down on a number of gun stores, including...
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...Gun Control in America Peter Z Bliss ENG/215 February 2, 2012 Kim Holloway Gun Control in America Gun control is a debate topic that comes up every election and when a major event happens that involving guns. Pro-gun lobbyists say “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people” [ (Hagan, 2007) ] the anti-gun advocates want to take away the right to bear arms. This topic has no right or wrong answer it is a preference of the individual. This is why gun control is such a fiercely debated topic. Implementing gun control Gun control cannot determine an accurate measurement according to research as there are two key components to the research lacking. What is the crime rate with no gun control? There is no documented research showing what the baseline is without gun control. Different government parties have each placed their own gun controls as a universal solution. These controls are mandatory locks sold with every gun purchase, and limitations on different classification of guns a citizen may own (Moorhouse & Wanner, 2006). Part two of measuring gun control is making sure the gun control laws are in place along with proper enforcement of the law. An example of this could have a blanket gun control law for a state. Each county within that state will potentially have a different outcome of this law. With the effort their law enforcement offices and judicial system place on enforcing that law. Gun control law enforcement is a large part of the accurate measurement...
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...adapted from a report by William Krouse, Congressional Research Service Updated October 3, 2002 Gun Control ________________________________________ SUMMARY Congress continues to debate the efficacy and constitutionality of federal regulation of firearms and ammunition. Various federal laws have been enacted since 1934 to promote such regulation. Gun control advocates argue that they curb access by criminals, juveniles, and other "high-risk" individuals. They contend that only federal measures can successfully reduce the availability of guns. Some seek broad policy changes such as near-prohibition of non-police handgun ownership or the registration of all firearm owners or firearms. They assert that there is no constitutional barrier to such measures and no significant social costs. Others advocate less comprehensive policies that they maintain would not impede ownership and legitimate firearm transfers. Opposition to federal controls is strong. Gun control opponents deny that federal policies keep firearms out of the hands of high-risk persons; rather, they argue, controls often create burdens for law-abiding citizens and infringe upon constitutional rights provided by the Second Amendment. Some argue further that widespread gun ownership is one of the best deterrents to crime as well as to potential tyranny, whether by gangs or by government. They may also criticize the notion of enhancing federal, as opposed to state, police powers. The two most significant federal...
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...The current gun control laws should be strictly enforced to avoid creating new laws. News laws make it harder on law abiding citizens to purchase firearms, ammunition, and magazines/clips. Some feel it would decrease gun violence by creating new laws. This is unfair to thousands of people who are gun advocates, including myself. Hundreds of thousands of people own a gun, if not more than one gun. In order to become a gun owner, there are legal steps to be followed in order to earn a permit. These steps are created due to laws that have been put into place, and have to be followed in order to be a valid owner. At eighteen you can legally purchase certain firearms. You can also earn your concealed carrying permit. This permit allows you to carry a firearm. At twenty-one you are allowed to purchase a handgun, and as long as you have your permit you can carry your handgun on your person. There are several more laws than these simple, common sense laws. Although gun laws help keep this nation safer, the laws can be unfair to many responsible citizens who have earned their right to carry their firearm. An example of a group of people who are against gun control laws is the National Rifle Association. (Scalia, 2011) They are against these laws because they feel the laws violate the second amendment right. (Reassessing, 1991) The second amendment right was created in the seventeen-hundreds, when our country was first being founded. William Lambert created the amendment...
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...is an incident involving multiple victims of gun violence(“Gun Control Pros and Cons”). The Columbine Massacre was one of these mass shootings. It occurred on April 20, 1999 in Littleton, Colorado by two high school boys. They chose to do this because they were bullied in high school. This incident left fifteen people dead and twenty-four people injured. The guns used during the shooting were illegally acquired. This is just one significant example of a mass shooting in the United States. Gun laws for possession, carrying, acquiring, buying, selling, and distributing will vary from state to state, some may be broader or more limited to existing Federal Gun Laws. Firearm Licensees are subject to the Gun Laws of the state where they are in rather than the state where the firearm permit was issued. In Pennsylvania there is no permit or registration to buy or own a gun. Known as the "gun show loophole,"...
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...Casualties of Law Enforcement: Homicide and Suicide Katherine Nielsen Buena Vista University Online Abstract This work is an overview of the increase in deaths of law enforcement agents: those killed on duty and those who kill themselves. As per a yearly report (Berman, 2014), the number of law enforcement agents killed while working rose almost a quarter this past year compared to years prior, especially ambush-style killings. Police officers across the country face potential dangers on their job, and they are a target simply because they are in uniform. As well, every 17 hours an officer commits suicide (Berman, 2014). This paper explores the correlation of the stress experienced by law enforcement associated with general strain theory (GST). GST is an explanation for suicide ideation for law enforcement officers. Other articles observe that police officers may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a critical incident or a traumatic experience. PTSD awareness is critical for saving lives. Why is there an increase in law enforcement deaths and suicides, and what needs to occur to change this trend? Keywords: post-traumatic stress disorder, general strain theory Introduction There were 50 officers murdered by shootings in 2014, a huge leap from the 32 such deaths a year prior (Berman, 2014). One officer killed is one officer too many, and this trend needs to be reversed. How does society stop this? Altogether, 126 law enforcement officers died in...
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