Gun Control Laws Do NOT Reduce Gun Violence

Gun control is an extremely controversial topic that is brought up in the media quite frequently. This subject, like most debated topics, contains extreme views from both sides. The gun control activist will argue that guns are a direct source of violence and should have strict regulations to reduce the amount of gun violence within the population. On the the other side, the viewpoint of an anti-gun control activist would be to uphold their second amendment right to bear arms. This activist would argue that guns are safe if taught and used properly, and that more guns does not equal to more violence. This poses the question, will more regulations on firearms reduce the gun violence within our society? Looking back through history there has

In an academic journal written by Don B. Kates, a respected gun rights activist lawyer and Gary Mauser, a criminologist at Simon Fraser University. They quote professor Malcolm on his study of gun laws and violence in England. “The peacefulness England used to enjoy was not the result of strict gun laws. When it had no firearms restrictions [nineteenth and early twentieth century] England had little violent crime, while the present extraordinarily stringent gun controls have not stopped the increase increase in violence or even the increase in armed violence” (Professor Malcolm qtd. in Kates and Mauser). England is a prime example of how strict gun control laws are ineffective in society. Gun related violence was not an issue for England when they did not have restrictions on firearms. According to Kates and Mauser, after England issued a ban on all “handguns and many types of long guns” (Kates and Mauser) in the late 1990’s the number of violent crimes involving a gun increased going into the 2000’s. “ the ban’s ineffectiveness was such that by year 2000 violent crime has so increased that England and Wales had Europe’s highest violent crime rate, far surpassing even the United States” (Kates and Mauser). England is a prime example of the inverse correlation between gun control laws and the amount of crime with the ban of

David O. Barbe, a medical family practice doctor voices his concern about the first hand enouters that he sees walk into the clinic. Barbe states “Gun violence in America today is a public health crisis” (Barbe), then offered a solution to ending gun violence by expressing his opinion that the government should hold tighter restrictions regarding assault weapons and high volume magazines. Barbe accuses the absence of regulations for these firearms as a cause for the gun violence that he witnesses, while looking back at history there is no evidence to support the idea that a more extensive law to reduce guns will help to decrease gun violence. In an academic journal written by William J. Vizzard claims that just because legislation is passed does not mean that the crime rates will decrease. “Simply instituting a public policy does not assure the desired result.”(Vizzard). This insured result that Vizzard is moving towards would be the direct reduction in gun violence, even though there is new laws prohibiting the use of guns. Gun violence may be a serious threat to the population, but making stronger laws is not the