Gun Violence



Gun Violence

Introduction

Gun violence is one of the most debated issues in America. Bearing weapons is not a new practice in America because; it is protected by the Second Amendment of the American constitution. This paper highlights the contemporary trends in gun control, legal problems pertaining to the issue, and recommendations for solving this problem that has haunted the American public for centuries (Egendorf, 2005). Because of the increase in crime rates in the Western world, the gun violence has gained an international exposure. Thus, the governments are forced to implement legislations focusing on the control of guns and other weapons used in crimes. A comparative study of 13 countries, which was conducted by a team of researchers, showed that the crime rates in these countries have steadily increased during the past five years. Legislation against gun violence has had a positive impact on the control of violence and the crimes, in which a weapon was used, showed a declining tendency.

Account of the Mass Murders

Columbine High School (1999)

In each event, who was responsible?

Their guardians, their teachers, the authorities and the individuals who gave them the possessions of guns were responsible for the incident.

Describe the mental state of the perpetrator.

Both the perpetrators were depressed, were bullied, and were big fans of violent video games.

How many victims died?

The total number of victims that died in this incident was 13.

What specific weapon(s) were used and how were these weapons obtained?

The weapons used in this incident were 4 knives, 99 explosives, Stevens 311D double barreled sawed-off shotgun, Savage 67H pump-action shotgun, Hi-Point 995 Carbine, Intratec TEC-DC9. The guns were provided to the perpetrators by a friend.

Virginia Tech (2007)

In each event, who was responsible?

The school management was responsible as they already had the record of the perpetrator's violent history. Furthermore, the gun control authorities were also responsible for this incident.

Describe the mental state of the perpetrator.

The perpetrator was suffering from severe depression and anxiety disorder.

How many victims died?

A number of 32 victims died in this incident.

What specific weapon(s) were used and how were these weapons obtained?

The weapons used in this incident were Glock 19 and Walther P22. These weapons were brought by the criminal with a gap of 30 days between both.

Tucson, AZ (2011)

In each event, who was responsible?

The gun control authorities were responsible; they should have done a proper check before allowing the perpetrator to buy the weapons.

Describe the mental state of the perpetrator.

The perpetrator was said to be suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

How many victims died?

There were a total of 6 deaths in this incident.

What specific weapon(s) were used and how were these weapons obtained?

A 9mm Glock model 19 pistol was used in this incident.

Aurora, CO (2012)

In each event, who was responsible?

There was no proper background check done before allowing the perpetrator to buy the weapon.

Describe the mental state of the perpetrator.

It is said that the perpetrator was mentally ill.

How many victims died?

A total of 12 victims died in this mass murder ...