Gun violence is currently an urgent, multi-faceted, and complex issue. With the increasing intensity of the unending debate centered on gun violence prevention, general knowledge of the existing gun policies is considered poor. Concerns about the propagation of firearms have intensified in recent years. Gun violence often in large cities disproportionately impacts minority communities and attracts minimal media coverage. In the United States, suicides, which are considered to make up nearly more than 50 percent of the entire gun-related deaths, are less visible. America is one of the societies that are heavily armed among the developed countries. The rates of homicide cases in the U.S. are highest compared to any other developed nation. Gun violence is a multi-faceted problem that cannot be linked to one specific cause. Nevertheless, the consequences of violent gun incidents are significantly influenced by the firearms or the manner of their usage. Whereas there already exist various approaches put in place, such as licensing handgun holders, I consider that the development of stricter gun laws will significantly decrease gun violence in the United States.
Despite the existence of licensing policies for gun holders as a measure aimed at enhancing public safety by guaranteeing that firearms are in the arms of law-abiding and responsible individuals, gun-related crimes and violent acts remain prevalent occurrences in the U.S. The high number and intensity of deaths linked to gun violence proves the impracticability of such suggestions. Gun violence is the third major cause of injury-related deaths in the U.S., accounting “for over 36,000 deaths and 74,000 firearm-related injuries each year” (Iwundu et al. 301). The data depicts a strong connection between the increase in firearm licensing and the worrying rise in the number of mortalities resulting from gun violence. The Southern States of the U.S. are more prone to gun culture than any other part of the nation. Hunting games and intensive gun exhibitions tend to expose the population to extreme danger. Means employed in attempts to commit suicide are also often associated with the use of firearms. Thus, gun violence acts similarly often result in the violation of the most basic human right, typically the right to life, and pose a need for the adoption of adequate regulatory measures.
Gun violence poses a prevalent public health burden in the U.S. As such, the U.S. federal and state governments have paved the way for gun violence as a grave human rights crisis. Any person can be a victim of gun violence; however, in some instances, firearm violence disproportionately affects minority communities, women, as well as other marginalized groups. According to a survey conducted by the Statista Research Department, firearm-related violence perpetuated by private individuals is mainly concentrated in low-income metropolitan neighborhoods with higher levels of crime and “blighted by inadequate policing or policing which does not comply with international standards on human rights and law enforcement.” Limited law enforcement and policing resources may result from different factors, including staffing shortages, budget constraints, or strained police-community relations, making it challenging to implement more effective gun control measures effectively. The federal and state governments, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system, have a role to play in putting in place measures to combat predictable or actual risks to life. The development and implementation of stricter gun laws aimed at governing the ownership and licensing of firearms for the safety of their populace from gun violence.
Even though there exists no standard approach to spell out each discrete gun policy, a large percentage of the United States gun policies focus specifically on the person using the firearm. Comparatively, very limited gun laws tend to major in the design, production, distribution, marketing, or sale of guns. The formulation of stricter gun laws that oversee the acquisition and licensing of firearms will lessen the extent of gun violence against law enforcement agencies such as the police. Goyal and colleagues, in a cross-sectional study, established a positive association between stricter state gun laws “requiring universal background checks for firearm purchase” (5) and lower pediatric gun-related mortality in states with more stringent gun laws. As a vital safety measure, universal background checks work to keep guns out of the hands of those with violent or criminal histories or severe mental health disorders. These investigations cover all transactions, whether they take place at authorized dealers, gun fairs, or through private sales, guaranteeing a thorough assessment of the buyer’s ability to own guns. By strengthening the screening process and plugging any gaps, this inclusive strategy lowers the possibility that guns may end up in irresponsible or wrong hands.
In the essay titled “Guns,” Stephen King integrates factual evidence and logical reasoning to emphasize the need for the implementation of rational regulations, arguing that the Second Amendment bestows the right to own arms but does not exclude sensible measures or interventions to prevent firearm-related tragedies. King recommends the need for regular universal and comprehensive checks as part of the efforts to enact and implement stricter gun laws, stating that it would entail a waiting period, and that alone might stop several would-be mass killers” (p.16 – 17). While universal background checks are a crucial initial step to addressing the issue of gun-related violence, it is essential to acknowledge that they are not a solution to every problem with guns. Societies demonstrate their commitment to promoting safer communities, averting terrible events, and upholding the responsibility that comes with gun ownership by strengthening the screening process for weapon transactions. One of the significant risks to law enforcement departments is the existence of different criminal acts that mainly target individuals, such as police officers. These threats are posed to police officers and the entire public, subject to protection from any potential security concern by the police department. In efforts to alleviate such risks and avert the use of guns to violate human rights, States should establish strict gun laws to regulate the ownership and use of firearms by citizens.
Enacting stricter gun laws will offer guidance on forearm possession, which is essential in eliminating the long-existing gun culture that has been associated with firearm violence. State governments oversee the sale of guns and weapons to make sure that their citizens are safe. Nevertheless, firearms are often easily transported from one state to another, and firearms purchased out-of-state are considered to pose fewer threats compared to those acquired locally. Superlatively, gun laws aimed at regulating the possession and licensing of hazardous products like guns need to be uniform and equally stricter across the nation. On the other hand, states should refrain from looking at the national government to take necessary actions to formulate strict gun laws that aim to protect their respective citizens. With the higher level of public support on the issue of gun control, there is an exceptional opportunity for legislators in all States and State governments to uphold measures directed toward attaining minimum national standards necessary for the formulation of stricter gun regulations. I consider the development of more stringent rules that focus on the user, production, distribution, marketing, and sale of guns as being essential to decreasing the rate of gun violence all over the nation.
In conclusion, the need to formulate stricter gun laws remains a major contentious and open issue in contemporary society. However, addressing this issue is essential if we desire to alleviate the witnessed high number of gun violence cases. The possession of firearms by private citizens is associated with both merits and demerits that, at a standard condition, usually attain some form of balance. Nevertheless, in the current situation where the stipulated guidelines on the use of firearms in possession by private citizens are often being violated, such as in contemporary society, the formulation and implementation of strict gun laws are necessary to help lessen the impending adverse consequences.
Works Cited
Goyal, Monika K., et al. “State gun laws and pediatric firearm-related mortality.” Pediatrics 144.2 (2019). https://xyonline.net/sites/xyonline.net/files/2020- 05/Goyal%2C%20State%20Gun%20Laws%20and%20Pediatric%20Firearm- Related%20Mortality%202019.pdf
Iwundu, Chisom N., et al. “Firearm Violence in the united states: an issue of the Highest Moral Order.” Public health ethics 15.3 (2022): 301-315. https://academic.oup.com/phe/article/15/3/301/6687272
King, Stephen. “Guns.” Philtrum Press. E-book. (2013, Jan 25).
Statista Research Department. “Firearms in the U.S. – statistics & facts.” (2021). Retrieved From: https://www.statista.com/topics/1287/firearms-in-the-us/#topicHeader__wrapper
write