Research Paper On Mass Shootings

After a mass shooting event, the public’s focus often shifts to gun control, as well as the state of our mental health system. “Research suggests that mass shootings can increase mental health stigma, reinforce negative stereotypes that people with mental illness are dangerous and violent,

“What is going on with gun control?” you may ask. Or even, “What does gun control even mean?” President Barack Obama wants to enforce stricter gun rules. “His proposals focus on new background check requirements that will enhance the effectiveness of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), and greater education and enforcement efforts of existing laws at

With the recent mass shootings such as Aurora and Sandy Hook elementary school gun control talks have ramped up, but why are the mass shootings happening? Can they be stopped? The Gallup poll shows that 61% of Americans think that the easy access to guns is a reason for the spike in shootings (270 million guns in the U.S.) while 80% of mass shootings are because of undetected mental illness (Guns). Both are viable reasons for shootings, but with intense gun laws and an increase in mental health funding to better detect problems

One of the causal explanations for a mass shooting is mental illness. Many of the recent mass shootings that have occurred have partially been caused by the unstableness of the person’s mind. For example, James Holmes, the mass shooter who killed twelve people in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado was said to have a schizophrenic disorder. Although the disorder does not blur the lines between right and wrong, it definitely has an impact as to why he was motivated to carry out this shooting. This mental illness problem also occurred with Columbine shooter, Eric Harris. Harris had a psychotic disorder and was even made to be a psychopath, according to the FBI report which was released five years after the shooting. Both shooters had notebooks, in which they expressed their severe hatred for the world and many humans around them. They also seemed to have an obsession with fame to some extent and were even a bit insecure about their own self-worth. These men had psychotic disorders, which shifted their thinking and made them think in abnormal ways, causing them to lose touch with reality. At the same time, mental illness may not be the cause of all mass shootings. In fact, many people will stereotype mass shooters as being mentally ill even though that may not be true. This is one fallacy which is seen today within our society after a mass shooting occurs, and can even be characterized as scapegoating. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, only 3-5% of violent acts are carried out by mentally ill people. Also, the mentally ill are more likely to be victimized and harassed rather than the other way around. In fact, even if a shooter did have a mental problem, there is a very small chance that they would go to a therapist or

All these articles argues a common point of argument concerning the motifs of these mass shootings. Mental illness has been attributed to gun violence as well as poor gun licensing and control of fire arms.

“Mental illness afflicts hundreds of millions of people around the world. Recent surveys in the United States reveal that mental illness in all its varieties is quite prevalent and that more serious, debilitating forms are experienced by about 6% of the population” (Hinshaw, Cicchetti, Dante, and Toth 6). Humanity is able to manipulate anything that comes at hand and guns are no different from any other tool. When guns reach to individual who are in an unstable can cause serious damage to other as well as themselves. The brain is an organ that is part of the human anatomy as if any other organ fails, there has to be procedures to help bring restoration. The mental stability of an individual must be considered in order for them to be allow to own guns. The current system only provides a criminal background check and a brief class about guns. Accountability has to be in place for all those who own or are in pursue of owning a gun. In “Guns, Schools, and Mental Illness: Potential Concerns for Physicians and Mental Health Professionals,” Ryan Chaloner Winton Hall, MD, and Susan Hatters Friedman, MD emphasis the seriousness how mental health effects the issue of gun control. The lack of education on communities in regards to the seriousness of mental illness have led unfortunate cases where they could have been prevented. The current laws contain many inconsistencies and no follow-up in accountability. Chaloner and Hatters continue to explain how, “…not all gun sales are required to be submitted to the NICS(National Instant Criminal Background Check System)…private gun sales/transfers (from one private owner to another) are not regulated by federal restrictions and include up to 40% of sales.” The lack of regiments that the current system failed to place has clearly led to many gruesome events in the past

There is an assumption that if you understand the minds of serial killers, or persons who commit mass shootings, that it may help prevent mass shootings. “Mass shootings are not on the rise, but have held steady over three decades, randomly clustering in time to trick our brains into finding a pattern of increase where none actually exists” (Shermer 3). Mass shootings happen at varying times without rhyme or reason. Some think that a psychological disorder or some genetic defect could be the reason people commit these crimes. Although we cannot prevent mass shootings, we can educate on how mental health issues can be a precursor to such a tragedy, and how better laws can create a safer environment.

President Barack Obama is doing everything it takes within his jurisdiction to make gun laws as strict as possible. According to the whitehouse.gov, on January 5th, 2016, President Obama announced a series of new executive actions on gun control, including the closing of the "gun show loophole" by expanding background checks on gun buyers. President Barack Obama is aggressively trying to make a move on the issue of gun control. His extensive background check system he has

Throughout President Barack Obama’s eight year presidency, he stated that he wanted to change, make, and enforce more strict gun control laws. The main reason for gun control was based off of the past and

At the moment, President Obama is leading the charge toward gun control. Over the past few months, he has formatted a plan to regulate both businesses and citizens that buy and sell firearms. However,

This paper will look at three major mass shooting incidents from the past five years and discuss

“The Orlando attack was by far the deadliest shooting in U.S. history (49 killed), and it is not even 10 years removed from the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre (32 killed), and the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting (27 killed)”(Willingham). The Orlando, Virginia Tech, and Sandy Hook shootings were some of the worst memories America has to offer. Mass shootings have taken place across the U.S. for many years. The United States is still facing too many conflicts involving shootings; these issues could be resolved by the creation of a specific institute made to prevent shootings from occurring and an increase in laws being placed on guns.

In several previous mass shooting cases the gunman had treatment in the past with mental illness. For example, according to an article posted in the NY Times, the gunman involved in the Sandy Hook elementary school shootings that killed twenty people may have had previous physiological problems, he had been “completely untreated in years before the shooting for his psychiatric and physical ailments”. Also, found in that same NY Times article the gunman involved in a Washington Navy yard shooting that left twelve people dead had “twice sought treatment from the department of Veterans Affairs for psychiatric issues” just months leading up to the shootings. The resolution to this problem, however, would not be to completely deny people with any type of mental illness the right to own a gun. The solution would be to allow them to purchase guns, seeing that the pass the required background checks, as long as they are being treated for their mental illnesses and continue to do so. This way they are not denied any of their rights and future mass shootings like the Sandy Hook elementary school shootings can further be

Over 900 individuals have been killed in mass shooting events, and of those, over 150 were children or teenagers. The locations change, the numbers change, and the people change, but one thing remains the same: the guns. It is not just assault rifles or semiautomatics, shooters bring a wide

“There were nineteen victims gunned down--thirteen were rushed to area hospitals; six were dead. Congresswoman Giffords was in critical condition” (Frontline). “Terrorized students fled when they heard shooting in the hall, 188 rounds. Then a bomb went off in the cafeteria. As the two assailants enter the room and hunt for student victims, they had killed thirteen and wounded 23 more” (Frontline). News reporters uttered the two previous quotes following two of the most memorable and horrifying instances of mass shootings. The first is from Tucson, Arizona, where a man shot Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford from three feet away, and killed six other people. The second is from the infamous shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. America is facing a gun epidemic, and like any other epidemic, a cure must be sought. As other countries have shown, passing comprehensive gun control legislation can both cure a gun epidemic and aid the ending of thousands of gun-related deaths per year; in addition to ending some of the influence interest group have on legislation.