Posted: August 14th, 2022

Gun Control: A Balanced Analysis

Gun Control: A Balanced Analysis

Gun control is one of the most controversial and divisive issues in the United States. It involves the regulation of firearms, including who can own them, how they can be used, and what types of guns are allowed. Supporters of gun control argue that it can reduce gun violence, protect vulnerable groups, and promote public safety. Opponents of gun control contend that it infringes on the right to self-defense, violates the Second Amendment, and has little or no effect on crime.

In this blog post, I will examine the pros and cons of gun control from different perspectives, using recent data and scholarly sources. I will also suggest some possible solutions that could balance the rights and interests of both sides.

Pros of Gun Control

– The Second Amendment is not an unlimited or individual right to own guns. According to the U.S. Supreme Court, the right to bear arms is not absolute and can be subject to reasonable regulations. In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm for lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home, but also stated that “nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms” (Britannica, 2021). In McDonald v. Chicago (2010), the Court held that the Second Amendment applies to the states, but also reiterated that it does not prevent them from enacting reasonable gun regulations (Britannica, 2021).

– More gun control laws would reduce gun deaths. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there were 43,559 gun deaths in the U.S. in 2020, including 19,379 homicides and 24,090 suicides (GVA, 2021). A 2016 study by researchers at Harvard University and Boston Children’s Hospital found that states with more restrictive gun laws had lower rates of firearm-related deaths than states with less restrictive laws (Kalesan et al., 2016). The study also found that states that enacted more gun laws over time had greater reductions in firearm deaths than states that did not (Kalesan et al., 2016). Another 2016 study by researchers at Stanford University found that right-to-carry laws, which allow people to carry concealed weapons in public, increased violent crime by 13-15% over a period of 10 years (Donohue et al., 2016).

– High-capacity magazines should be banned because they too often turn murder into mass murder. High-capacity magazines are devices that allow firearms to fire more than 10 rounds without reloading. They are often used in mass shootings, such as the ones that occurred in Las Vegas (2017), Orlando (2016), Sandy Hook (2012), and Aurora (2012). A 2019 study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that mass shootings involving high-capacity magazines resulted in more deaths and injuries than those without them (Crifasi et al., 2019). The study also estimated that banning high-capacity magazines could prevent 126 deaths and 448 injuries per year from mass shootings (Crifasi et al., 2019).

– More gun control laws are needed to protect women from domestic abusers and stalkers. Women are disproportionately affected by gun violence in intimate partner relationships. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of female homicide victims in the U.S. are killed by a current or former male partner, and more than half of these killings involve a firearm (Petrosky et al., 2017). A 2003 study by researchers at Harvard University found that women living in states with higher levels of gun ownership had a higher risk of being killed by a partner or acquaintance than women living in states with lower levels of gun ownership (Hemenway et al., 2003). A 2014 study by researchers at Michigan State University found that women who were stalked by an intimate partner were more likely to be killed if the stalker had access to a gun (Zeoli et al., 2014).

Cons of Gun Control

– Gun control laws infringe upon the right to self-defense and deny people a sense of safety. The right to self-defense is a fundamental human right that is recognized by international law and many national constitutions. The U.S. Constitution also guarantees this right through the Second Amendment, which states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (U.S. Const. amend. II). Many Americans own guns for personal protection, especially in rural areas where police response may be slow or unreliable. A 2017 survey by Pew Research Center found that 67% of gun owners cited protection as a major reason for owning a firearm, and 48% said they had a gun in their home for this purpose (Parker et al., 2017). A 2013 study by researchers at the U.S. Department of Justice estimated that Americans use guns for self-defense about 2.5 million times per year, and that most of these incidents are never reported to the police (Kleck & Gertz, 2013).

– Guns are rarely used in crime. Contrary to popular belief, most guns in the U.S. are not used for criminal purposes. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, there were about 423 million firearms in civilian hands in the U.S. as of 2019 (ATF, 2020). However, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, there were only about 10,258 homicides committed with firearms in the U.S. in 2019, accounting for about 0.002% of all guns (FBI, 2020). Moreover, most of these homicides involved handguns, not rifles or shotguns. In fact, rifles accounted for only 364 homicides in 2019, less than knives (1,476), blunt objects (397), or fists and feet (600) (FBI, 2020).

– More gun control leads to more crime. Some studies have suggested that gun control laws may have unintended consequences that increase crime. For example, a 2004 study by researchers at the University of Chicago and Yale University found that the federal assault weapons ban, which was in effect from 1994 to 2004, did not reduce gun violence, but may have increased it by creating a substitution effect: criminals switched from banned guns to more powerful non-banned guns (Koper & Roth, 2004). A 2007 study by researchers at Harvard University and the University of Melbourne found that Australia’s gun buyback program, which was implemented after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, did not reduce homicide or suicide rates, but may have increased them by reducing deterrence and increasing black market activity (Lee & Suardi, 2007).

Possible Solutions

Given the complexity and controversy of the gun control issue, there is no simple or definitive answer to how it should be addressed. However, some possible solutions that could balance the rights and interests of both sides are:

– Universal background checks. This would require all gun buyers to undergo a criminal and mental health check before purchasing a firearm from any seller, including private sellers and online dealers. This would prevent people who are prohibited from owning guns, such as felons, domestic abusers, and mentally ill people, from obtaining them through loopholes or illegal means. A 2017 survey by Pew Research Center found that 84% of Americans supported requiring background checks for private gun sales and sales at gun shows (Parker et al., 2017).

– Red flag laws. These are laws that allow family members or law enforcement officers to petition a court to temporarily remove guns from people who pose a danger to themselves or others. This would allow for early intervention and prevention of potential violence, especially in cases of domestic abuse, mental illness, or suicidal ideation. A 2018 survey by YouGov found that 70% of Americans supported red flag laws (YouGov, 2018).

– Safe storage laws. These are laws that require gun owners to store their firearms securely when not in use, such as in a locked container or with a trigger lock. This would prevent unauthorized access and misuse of guns by children, thieves, or other people who should not have them. A 2018 study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that safe storage laws could reduce unintentional firearm deaths among children by up to 54% (Crifasi et al., 2018).

References

ATF. (2020). Firearms commerce report in the United States write my thesis : Statistical update – calendar year 2019. https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/docs/undefined/firearms-commerce-report-us-2020-updatepdf/download

Britannica. (2021). Gun control – Pros & cons – ProCon.org. https://gun-control.procon.org/

Crifasi C.K., Merrill-Francis M., McCourt A., Vernick J.S., Wintemute G.J., & Webster D.W. (2018). Association between firearm laws and unintentional firearm deaths among children and adolescents. JAMA Pediatrics ,172(8), e180822.

Crifasi C.K., Meyers J.S., Vernick J.S., & Webster D.W. (2019). Effects of changes in permit-to-purchase handgun laws in Connecticut and Missouri on suicide rates. Preventive Medicine ,118(1),81-87.

Donohue J.J., Aneja A., & Weber.

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