Gun Control Research Paper

torpedos In The United States In forthwiths society of political turmoil, a dislodgedon, and economic tragedies, mevery gasoline tell advocates be pushing for much(prenominal) ordnance store statutes from the organisation. hero sandwichs tolerate been a part of the Statess way of life for centuries. However, it was not until the twentieth century that the government enacted its first accelerator mark act. The topic Firearms typify was enacted in 1934, as earthd in Firearm Laws, Regulations, and Ordinances, edit by Sandra Alters, in response to the add-ond criminal and gangster application as a result of prohibition (19).This act readed to make it more difficult to acquire specific bits by establishing a $200 assess on firearms (Alters, ed. 19). In 1968, the Gun Control Act was passed and amended the subject field Firearms Act of 1934 to imply a wider range of firearms. This act was passed in the charge up of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. The act required firearm dealers to be federal officially licensed, restricted interstate sales events of firearms, and forbid the sale of firearms to minors or criminals (Alters, ed. 19).The passage of the Gun Control Act of 1968 was criticized, however. The primary(prenominal) criticism involving the Gun Control Act of 1968 was that the act penalized jurisprudence-abiding citizens and rewarded criminals (Alters, ed. 20). In 1986, the Firearms Owners Protection Act greatly amended the Gun Control Act of 1968 in an attempt to address the various criticisms and concerns linked to the act. There have been various throttle look into regulations enacted since 1986 however, the enactment of the Firearms Owners Protection Act is maven of the largest regulations ever put into place.Much of the controversy over throttle valve program line polices presently and then involves the second amendment to the constitution. Today, lawmakers face much pressure from gun statement advocates, as well as anti-gun control advocates regarding gun laws. However, putting more regulations on guns is not going to change the way that people practise them, which many gun control advocates believe to be true. There should be no get on government gun control in America because additional gun control will not demean personnel and it is not financially feasible to enforce additional gun control laws.The most signifi whoremastert federal gun control act today is the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993, as discussed in throng Jacobs and Kimberly Potters article Keeping guns out of the wrong manpower the Brady law and the limits of regulation. This act requires federal firearm licensees to run stage setting checks on gun sale leverages, and as well as created a federal database for federal firearm licensees access to The subject Instant Criminal soil Check body (Jacobs and Potter). A 5-day waiting period for the purchase of a gun was as we ll introduced.The National Instant Criminal Background Check System is to admit access to names of those persons not allowed to purchase a gun (Jacobs and Potter). The aim of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act was to bar criminals, or disqualified persons from purchasing guns. The Brady Act expanded the definition of an ineligible person to include illegal drug users and addicts, former mental patients, illegal aliens and persons dishonorably pink-slipped from the armed forces (James and Potter). This act, along with the other regulations discussed, form the up-to-date federal gun control laws.One aboriginal view of gun control advocates in have got of additional gun control is the printing that prohibition guns would lower abandon in America. Stephen E. Wright, writer of From the Bluff, claims that the main focus of anti-gun groups is on gun willpower (par. 2). Anti-gun groups claim that if citizens did not own guns, fewer crimes would be committed. Although taking forth guns appears to be a good plan to reduce crime, it is not a realistic atomic number 53. Banning gun ownership could have an effect resembling to the inhibition Act of 1920.In 1920, the American government put a ban on all alcohol in the United States. One of the central ideas behind the breastwork Act was to create a safer America for its citizens. The prohibition era Act did not make for a safer America however, the effect of the Prohibition act was the development of widespread organized crime, resulting in a increase in the come in of criminals. Jeff Hill, writer of Defining Moment Prohibition, explains, widespread rebuff for the prohibition act resulted in corruption of government officials, police forces and law enforcement (75).Government statistics show that crime actually rose during the prohibition years, contrary to what the government believed would occur (Hill, 76). The banning of guns could have the same effect as the Prohibition of alcohol. Prohibiting g uns could create more widespread organized crime and an increase number of criminals, as it would be a criminal act to purchase or own a gun. While the idea that fewer guns would lead to slight craze in America seems reasonable, when the effects of the Prohibition Act of 1920 argon considered, it is seen that the prohibition of guns may have very negative consequences.Another common belief of gun control advocates is that increase purchasing regulations will help prevent gun violence. The general current regulation system for purchasing guns consists of a simple background check, usually on the first purchase of a gun, with a 5-day waiting period. In the Opposing Viewpoint article An updated Background Check System Will Help Prevent Gun Violence, the editor in chief explains that the current background check system films to be amend (par. 11). The various loopholes in the current background system are a main focus of the gun control advocates.To fix the various loopholes, gun c ontrol advocates believe the government should gather all(prenominal)ones name that should be prohibited from buying a gun and put him or her in the system for tracking and they should require a background check for every single gun sale, not just on the first purchase (An Updated Background). The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act fixed these issues presented through the National Instant Criminal Background System Check (Jacobs and Potter). Gun control advocates viewed the Brady Act as a positive step towards lowering violence in America.However, the act has not reduced gun violence same gun control advocates believed would occur. The view that the Brady Act was a simple settlement to the gun violence fuss is not sole(prenominal) false, but excessively creates great expense for the government. The problem related to gun violence is not the current background check system instead the problem lies in the use of illegal guns. Amy Roberts, writer of By the Numbers Guns in Amer ica, explains that individually year an estimated 40 percent of all guns purchased in America are through unlicensed, private sellers (Roberts).Thousands of gun shows are held apiece year in America it is at these gun shows where thousands of guns are bought and sold illicitly each year. Most gun vendors at these shows do not require any background check. Many gun control advocates feel that many of the murders and shootings in America would not have happened if a background check was ran on the individual purchasing the gun. When a gun is bought illegally, there is no background check. The seller has no way of knowing if the buyer is a criminal. An pillow slip of the violence related to the use of illegal guns is he Columbine postgraduate School shooting in Colorado. The Columbine killers were able to purchase guns illegally at a gun show from an unlicensed seller, who required no personal information before selling the guns (An Updated Background). This example shows how easi ly one can obtain a gun illegally no increased purchasing regulation would have stopped the Columbine killers from purchasing guns. change magnitude purchasing regulations will not stop a criminal from acquire a gun. Obtaining a gun illegally is so easy that a criminal wouldnt even think to go through a registered firearms dealer.Gun control advocates views on gun control laws and the prevention of violence only lead to increased pass by the federal government. The federal deficit today is around 16 trillion dollars and growing. The view of the Brady Act as a simple solution to the gun violence problem has been turn out not to be true, as mentioned earlier. The Brady Act presents various loopholes through which great enforcement could prevent. One loophole presented by the Brady Act is the federal licensing system (Jacobs and Potter). Practically anyone can become federally licensed by paying a clarified fee and submitting required information.There is also no way to determin e if an applicator has lied upon submission of their information for federal licensing. Inspections are rarely conducted upon the federal firearm licensees to ensure cooperation regarding the Brady Act (Jacobs and Potter). The federal government could increase regulation regarding the federal licensing system to ensure proper Brady Act enforcement, but this requires increased spending. Greater information requirements and increased inspections would require increased data affect and hiring of federal inspectors, both requiring great spending.The introduction of new gun control acts would require even greater spending than required through greater enforcement of the Brady Act, which is already in place. The recession has placed an enormous strain on federal funds. change magnitude enforcement of gun regulations is not seen as the greatest need at this time for government spending. There should be no further government gun control in America because additional gun control will not lower violence and it is not financially feasible to enforce additional gun control laws.The main arguments in support of additional gun control are banning guns would lower violence and increased purchase regulations would help prevent gun violence however, these arguments are insufficient. There are potentially negative effects regarding the banning of guns, compared to the Prohibition era. Also, the increased purchasing regulations do not fix the problem of violence related to gun control because of the illegal or down in the mouth gun market. Greater enforcement of the increased purchasing regulations could curb the use of current loopholes.However, greater enforcement leads to greater spending by the federal government. Greater enforcement also does not deal with the black market for guns. In the current state of the economy it is important that the government focus on decreased spending or spending to pull the United States out of the recession. Focusing on increased gun con trol is not of any benefit to the economy. Increased government spending through greater enforcement of increased gun control laws is not necessary to lower violence, instead focus should be shifted to option ways for reducing violence in the United States.By focusing on informing people on gun safety and gun laws, a new path may be made for the younger generation. plant life Cited An Updated Background Check System Will Help Prevent Gun Violence. Guns and Crime. Ed. Christine Watkins. Detroit Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from A Plan to Prevent Future Tragedies. MayorsAgainstIllegalGuns. org. 2011. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 1 Nov. 2012. Firearm Laws, Regulations, and Ordinances. Gun ControlRestricting Rights or defend People?. Sandra M. Alters. 2009 ed.Detroit Gale, 2009. 19-39. Information Plus Reference Series. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. Hill, Jeff. Defining Moment Prohibiton. Detroit MI Omnigraphics, n. d. Print. Jacobs, James B. , and Kimberly A. Potter. Keeping guns out of the wrong hands the Brady law and the limits of regulation. Journal of Criminal Law and CriminologyFall 1995 93-120. Academic OneFile. Web. 2 Dec. 2012. Kates, Don B. , Jr. GUN CONTROL A REALISTIC ASSESSMENT. Gun Control A real numberistic Assessment. N. p. , 1990. Web. 01 Nov. 2012. lthttp//www. catb. org/esr/guns/gun-control. html. Roberts, Amy. By the Numbers Guns in America CNN. com. CNN. Cable News Network, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 02 Nov. 2012. . Wright, Stephen E. Gun Control Laws Will not Save Lives. Guns and Crime. Ed. Christine Watkins. Detroit Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from Anti-Gun Group Common Sense Gun Laws and Real Common Sense. StephenE Wright. com. 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 1 Nov. 2012