The Importance Of Stricter Gun Control Laws

Guns are a major problem in our society and the numbers of these gun-related murders are continuing to rise. On top of the murders you also have people losing their lives through misfire and gun-related suicides. The total death toll of all gun-related deaths averages over 30,000 per year in the U.S. (http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2013/03/07/u-s-gun-deaths-visualizing-the-numbers/). I believe that enforcing stricter gun laws will contribute to getting these numbers lower. The numbers do not lie, we as a society have a problem with gun-violence and we need to do something to fix it.

If gun control is regulated, then we will have less crime. Access to firearms makes killing easy, efficient, and impersonal, which increases the lethality of crime. Josh Sugarmann, the Executive Director of the Violence Policy Center has once said, "We recoil in horror and search for explanations, but we never face up to the obvious preventive measure: a ban on the handy killing machines that make crimes so easy.”Allowing untrained people to carry guns puts others at risk and it can result in self-inflicting injuries both by suicide and unintentional incidents. Gun violence in America kills more than 30,000 and injures almost 70,000 each year. Guns can be misused and abused, which is why gun

The study found that “states with the strictest gun control laws had lower rates of gun-related homicides and suicides.” Although this result cannot draw a causal relationship between gun control policies and homicides, it proves that legislative strength and firearm deaths and ownership are negatively correlated.

Currently, it is very easy for anyone to get their hands on a gun. If the laws and regulations were made to be stricter, the amount of people who die due to gun violence could potentially and would most likely decrease. If someone needs a gun fast and wants to do something illegal with it, they are not going to wait a long time or want to have to go through a long process. Guns are also rarely used for self defense. Every year there are over thousands of assaults however less than one percent of these cases end up being self defense. Many people want to own a gun to feel safe and for self defense however they end up being used for crimes. Being able to buy things such as fast shooting guns and silencers make it very easy for someone to commit large shootings. If gun control was more strict, these mass shootings could be more easily avoided. A large percentage of suicides in the U.S. are done with guns that are legally bought. If the waiting period and process for

Current Gun Control regulations do not deter violence and crime. It has been shown that places that have relaxed their gun control laws have a higher crime and death rate. Data proves that homicide rates “[...] among the metro areas whose principal city is in a state that requires some form of permit to purchase a gun, is 4.32 per 100,000 residents, compared with 5.74 among cities in no-permit states”(Bailey). This is evidence that there is a correlation between gun control and death rates. It is also proven with statistical evidence that places with the least amount of gun control have the most violence. Statistics show that “‘none of the states with the most gun violence require permits to purchase rifles, shotguns, or handguns. Gun owners are also not required to register

One of the main topics of debate is whether or not gun laws actually correspond with lower murder rates. “The average annual gun death rate ranged from almost 3 per 100,000 in Hawaii to 18 per 100,000 in Louisiana. Hawaii had 16 gun laws, and along with New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts was among states with the most laws and fewest deaths. States with the fewest laws and most deaths included Alaska, Kentucky, Louisiana and Oklahoma.” (CBSnews.com). These statistics can lead one to believe that more gun laws equate to lower death rates. What these numbers prove is that some gun regulations help lower death rates. However, what gun control activists would have you believe that a full on gun ban would lower these numbers more. This is not the case as evident in the following, “During the years in which the D.C. handgun ban and trigger lock law was in effect, the Washington, D.C. murder rate averaged 73% higher than it was at the outset of the law, while the U.S. murder rate averaged 11% lower” (James D.

In 2015, on an average day in America, thirty-six Americans were killed by guns, excluding suicides. How many of those deaths would have been prevented if there were stricter gun laws? How many parents would have lived to see their babies grow up? How many children would have lived to graduate, or get married? Although many Americans believe that gun control takes away their second amendment right it actually increases every citizen’s safety by the use of extensive background checking, checking medical records, and restricting gun distributors.

Developing stricter gun laws in the United States can lower the amount of crime that is committed using firearms, as well as to prevent accidental death, homicides and suicides. Gun control is effective, and many nations have the statistics to prove that. Firearms have a place in society, but it is not in the name of self-protection. The source is somewhat incorrect, as gun control is necessary, but it does not mean that all firearms should be eliminated.

The amount of crimes happening today will only increase with stricter gun control laws because there is a higher temptation to steal guns. An American citizen claims, “Ever since I first learned how to shoot, the issue with gun violence around the nation became clear: Guns are not the problem; people are” (Sherfenski). Police need to lock up these people committing the disastrous crimes that affect so many innocent lives. These blameless people are not prepared when they are being attacked, and that is because most shootings tend to happen in areas where guns are controlled. The former United States Secretary of Education, William Bennett, explains the reason that criminals decide to go to places that have controlled gun laws is because: “These murderers, while deranged and deeply disturbed, are not dumb. They show up to schools, universities, malls and public places where their victims cannot shoot back” (Bennett). Even if guns are controlled in public places including malls and schools, where there are uncontrolled shootings, why would it make a difference if they were controlled everywhere? It would not make a difference whatsoever because these crimes are done out of pure, revolting pleasure. Committing a crime is one thing, but taking away a right that was given to Americans in the 1790s is a whole different story.

There are currently over 200 million guns in use, which means obtaining a gun in the United States mustn't be that hard. If gun usage could be regulated more by banning certain unneeded weapons to the public and requiring a more in depth background check, than miss usage of guns, and deaths caused by them would decrease. However, already existing laws need to be enforced and harsher penalties for those who don't follow the laws. If the country would agree on certain legislation for gun control, than The United States could be a much safer

Some say that more gun control laws would reduce gun deaths. The website, procon.org, Should More Gun Control Laws Be Enacted, February 26, 2016, says, “There were 464,033 total gun deaths between 1999 and 2013” (p 6). Of these deaths, 58.2% were suicide, 37.7% were homicides, and 2.2% were unintentional. Guns are the leading cause of death by homicide with 66.6% and by suicide with 52.2%, and are the 12th leading cause of all deaths. The study published by American Journal of Public Health found that "legal purchase of a handgun appears to be associated with a long-lasting increased risk of violent death" (p 6). Guns are related to a lot of deaths, and are among the top weapons associated with all deaths. Also, just legally owning one increases a person’s risk of dying

Gun control should be implied more than it is now. More gun laws should be created in order to tame society. Americans own over 300 million guns. According to (Everitt,Ladd) the author of the article “Does the U.S. Need Tougher Gun-Control Laws?” There are 99 gun deaths a day and some who committed the crime were not eligible to obtain or carry a weapon. More teens are being killed with guns than any other crime. Teens are not eligible to obtain guns due to the age requirement that is 21 years of age with a background check. There are gun show loopholes were 18 year olds can go and buy a gun without a license and background check. “The major cities chiefs association endorses closing the gun show loophole” according to Richard Perez-Pena the

Stricter gun control laws would reduce the number of handgun deaths and injuries in the United States per year. There were 464,033 total gun deaths between 1999 and 2013: 58% were suicides, 38% were homicides, 2% were unintentional deaths. 67% of all homicides were committed with guns, and 52% of all suicides were committed with guns. According to a March 10, 2016 Lancet study, implementing federal universal background checks could reduce firearm deaths by a predicted 60%, background checks for ammunition purchases could reduce deaths by a predicted 81%, and gun ID requirements could reduce deaths by a predicted 83%. All these statistics could be lowered if the United States had more gun control.

According to a study conducted by the American Journal of Medicine, “US homicide rates were 7.0 times higher than in other high-income countries, driven by a gun homicide rate that was 25.2 times higher” (Grinshteyn 268). With gun violence at such an astounding level, proponents of gun control believe having stricter laws regarding firearms will reduce the number of deaths in the United States, especially suicides. Supporters also believe

Switzerland, in 2007 was ranked 3th in international gun ownership rates with 45.7 guns per 100 people and in 2009 they had only 24 gun homicide & 253 gun suicides. Finland was ranked 4th and 45.3 person had guns out of 100 and in 2007 they only had 23 homicide and 172 gun suicides. While in the United States 88.8 out of 100 people had guns in 2007 and had 12,632 gun homicides and 17,352 gun suicides. Just the fact that almost 89 people out of 100 have guns , is very because the presence of a gun can turn something fatal. So many people having guns , pick up the chance of them getting a gun stolen. Between 2005 and 2010, 1.4 millions guns were stolen from US homes during property crimes. Another bad thing about so many people having guns is that there will be more suicides. Between 1999 and 2013 there were about 270,000 firearms suicides. Most people that would want to commit suicide would not kill him/herself with poison or with a knife when a gun is unavailable. So less people having guns could reduce suicides rates.