Gun Review

Violence and crimes are growing in number and affecting American society. By reinforcing background checks we could reduce crimes and limit easy gun access to mentally ill people. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) is a database where the names of people that have committed a misdemeanor, are mentally ill or drug abusers is kept to prevent them from attaining guns. Most criminals buy guns from unlicensed sellers at gun shows that don’t do properly background checks through the NICS, making it easier from criminals to purchase firearms. Another problem is missing records or information that was not reported to the background check system. Better background checks could reduce crime and gun violence in America.

Due to the high rate of crimes committed throughout big cities by gun violence, it is essential for Law Enforcement to enforce a solution to prevent violent, brutal crimes from occurring. Both Federal and local Law Enforcement must work together to promote a solution for reducing gun violence. Back in Bush’s first term as President it was significant for the Bush administration to create a project to “get the message out there” about deterrence and the increasing number of crimes committed through the use of guns. The Bush administration came up with the project known as the Project Safe Neighborhoods. The goal for Project Safe Neighborhoods is to inhibit criminal behavior by using deterrence and incapacitation. Through deterrence and

According to a report by the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey, the United States has about 35-50 percent of the world’s civilian-owned guns and has less than 5 percent of the world’s population. With no restriction and so much freedom, firearms can be distributed throughout the United States illegally and obtained as easy as buying it from a person, disregarding all gun laws. Implementing stricter background checks can help reduce the amount of crime relating to gun violence. It can also keep firearms away from those who shouldn’t have possession of them.

In an interview with Officer Warren G. Haywood of the NOPD, he said that guns are obtained illegally through loopholes. Those who have these guns are fugitives from justice, illegal aliens, unlawful users of certain drugs. High crimes rates have resulted in this city be one of American most dangerous city according to the Travel and Leisure magazine that is located in New York, and is the most read magazine in New York. When this magazine analyzed the city of New Orleans critically, it learned that among many cities in the country New Orleans has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the United States. For the last decade, statistics have shown that the murder rate is four to six times higher than the national average. To solve this problem I think implementation of stiffer prison sentences for gun crimes, and gun buy-backs could be of some use to prevent firearm related

When the state of Virginia enacted its one-gun-a-month law, specifically targeted at reducing the amount of gun trafficking, there was a significant drop in the number of out of state crime guns traced back to Virginia dealers. In twelve states where child access prevention laws were put in place and in effect for over a year, unintentional firearm deaths fell by 23 percent among children under the age of 15. Following Maryland’s adoption of a ban on “gun junk” firearm homicides dropped by 8.6 percent, a total of 40 lives saved. Finally, after the passage of the Brady Law in 1994, which required background checks to be issued prior to purchasing a firearm, aggravated assaults with a weapon dropped by 35 percent and a total of five hundred thousand people with a criminal record were legally prevented from obtaining a gun (Gun Control, 2013). According to gun control proponents, these few examples are more than enough evidence to show that sensible gun laws can and do work and that if more laws like them were put in place the results would be astonishing. In addition to sensible gun laws being put in place, gun control proponents strongly believe that closing loopholes is a key component that can reduce crime and make society safer. Gun control proponents like to point out that although some gun regulations are

A majority of the American people feel that gun control laws will help reduce crime rates because the waiting period would allow time for a person’s temper to cool down. They also feel that gun control will prevent repeat offenders because when a person tries to purchase a handgun, he will have to fill out a lengthy questionnaire. The questionnaire will include questions about the buyer’s past, for example, if they have a criminal record or a record of any mental illness. If there is a criminal record in that person’s history, he will not be able to make the purchase. Restricting handgun ownership would also reduce crime, because guns are used most often in robberies and murders (Mayer 28). They are very easily concealed under a coat, or even in the waistband of pants.

Therefore, this caused Dylan Roof to buy a gun which he used to kill nine people at a historically black church in South Carolina. In addition, Roof had previously faced drug charges which should refuse his attempt to gun purchase. However, the information was unavailable at the background check system (2015, para. 1). Ressler (2015, para. 4) also states that the current three days’ standard background check time is not enough to process a cross check information between federal databases and states. Furthermore, the author Ferris (2014, para. 3) indicates in his article “Gun Purchase Background Checks: Casting a Wide Net with Many Holes” that NICS has not the complete records, and states have not incentive to report records of people who have prior criminal records and should not own guns. In addition, according to the research in 2012, there is a big part of mental health records from the last two decades can not be found in the NICS. Therefore, the system loophole results in people with criminal records escape the background checks and have access to guns is a significant cause of gun violence (2014, para. 14).

As the United States experiences an increase in mass shootings, we also experience an increase in firearm purchases. According to the LA Times, there were 3 notable mass shootings between January 2015 and November 27, 2015. November 27, 2015 was Black Friday, and on this day in 2015 the FBI, the department responsible for running the National Instant Criminal Background Checks System reported that there were 185,345 NICS checks done that day (Penzenstadler). That number is a 5% increase from Black Friday 2014. The prior record for number of NICS checks run in one day was on December 21, 2012, only 7 days after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, on that day there were 177,170 NICS checks received (Penzenstadler). One of the likely reasons

Although the Second Amendment prevents the federal government from completely banning guns in America, limited restrictions are allowed on the distribution and possession of firearms. Certain groups of people such as criminals, the mentally unstable, and soldiers dishonorably discharged from the military are prohibited from possessing or interacting with firearms (Flynn). These restrictions are enforced by background checks in some states on both a state and federal level. However, gun laws vary from state to state and are often not thorough enough; the background checks are flawed due to lack of information and misinformation, and guns can easily end up in the hands of criminals and malevolent individuals. The ease of

In the year 2016 alone, there have been 145 mass shootings around the United States, while there have been only 173 days in the years so far. In order to prevent these atrocities from occurring so frequently gun ownership should be regulated by both the federal and state governments through a background check for all sales of firearms. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System has prevented more than two million convicted felons and other prohibited purchasers from buying guns. The law also has a deterrent effect since the prohibited purchasers are less likely to try to buy guns when they know comprehensive background check requirements are in place. However, currently the federal law requires criminal background checks only for guns sold through licensed firearm dealers, which counts for only sixty percent of the total gun sales. The U.S. Congress needs to regulate the obtainment of guns with a background check for all sales of firearms in order to protect the lives of citizens in this country while not violating the Second Amendment and the rights of the state.

Hence, many would believe that gun purchases would plummet; however, the opposite has occurred. Gun manufacture has risen around 40% since then. These correlations show that the access to guns do not contribute to the violence. Another scenario many pro-Gun Control advocates dismiss is how the crime guns are obtained. In a study conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, data has shown around 79% of crime guns are obtained through friends/family or street/illegal sources; thus, if the criminals wanted to acquire firearms they will find a source. In the BJS’ survey only 8.3% of the offenders bought their guns from a retail store. The government can only prevent these delinquents from obtaining guns in registered sources like retail stores, pawn shops, flea markets, and Federal Firearm License (FFL) certified gun shows. The other option is to take away the 226 year old right to “bear arms” created by our Founding Fathers. Instead of taking away prerogatives of the United States civilians, the government should target illegal selling, purchasing, and trading of

Background checks are another way to control the flow of guns in the United States. Background check can be harmful or helpful. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 mandates such checks. In November 1998, the FBI unveiled the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Using this electronic system, federally licensed gun dealers can perform and instant background check on anyone trying to purchase a firearm. The dealer completes a document called a Firearms Transaction Record. It includes Information about the buyer and the gun. The dealer submits this document to NICS, which informs the dealer of the buyer’s status within minutes. Since NICS began, it has stopped more than seven hundred thousand gun

The United States is home to approximately 5% of the world’s population and 31% of all mass shootings. Through these mass shootings and various other methods of gun violence, tens of thousands of people die every year. These gun-related deaths primarily originate from murder and children accidentally shooting themselves. Although those in favor of gun control tend to believe that guns should be terminated completely, the second amendment prevents lawmakers from being able to do so. Therefore, in order to combat these causes, alternative gun control solutions must be made for each one. Gun-related murders can be decreased through the use of universal background checks. Additionally, accidental shootings can be minimized through the

The first of these new proposals is the requirement of universal background checks for anyone who wants to purchase a firearm. This will hopefully close some loopholes in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and prevent criminals and people with a history of mental illness from obtaining firearms (Remarks). As the background check system stands now, people who buy guns from gun shows and other unlicensed sellers do not have to complete a background check (Stopping). For the Columbine massacre on April 20th, 1999, the killers purchased their guns at a gun show from an unlicensed seller, so no background check was performed. On April 16th, 2007 was the shooting at Virginia Tech and this shooter obtained a gun from a licensed gun dealer which he should have been prohibited from buying. He was able to purchase this weapon because his records were never reported to the FBI’s gun background check system. Again in Tucson on January 8th, 2001, a killer acted with guns he should have been prohibited from buying because his records also were not in the database. These considerable loopholes in our current

The legality of having guns and possessing firearms in the United States of America is well engraved within the Second Amendment of the nation’s constitution. However, the issue of gun regulation has remained a central topic in America’s public. Some people advocate for a total ban on gun possession, while others are totally against this idea. The shooting incident in Las Vegas weeks ago has raised controversial debates in the United States of America. In fact, the White House is concerned on the stand that President Trump will take on the issue of stricter gun laws. One of the cities that has gained the attention of both the legislators on this topic is Chicago. For its reputation for its low rate of gang arrests, lax punishments for gun law violations, and comparatively weak laws in accordance with surrounding states, it is justifiable to say that Chicago’s daily shootings are a clear indicator that strict state gun laws don’t work.