Introduction
The debate on gun control has been noted as one of the most controversial issues in the history of the United States taking into account the fact that it has elicited support and opposition in equal measure. Gun control is viewed as a form of restriction to the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, which gives the American people the right to bear arms. However, it has also been seen as a key approach towards dealing with the increased number of cases touching on the continued use of guns. One of the critical issues has been on the fact that the number of school shootings, which involve teenagers and adolescents using guns to cause death or injury, has been on the rise in the last few years. The debate on gun control ought to be evaluated from the perspective of the problem and solution to determine the viability of the debate and whether indeed gun control measures ought to be instituted.
Problem Analysis
When evaluating the topic of gun control, one must take into account the fact that the number of gun-related cases of violence is increasing at a significant rate, which has become a principal source of concern for the American people. The issue can be seen from statistical data indicating that the number of gun-related deaths that were recorded in the United States between January and December 2017 was approximately 15,549 (Van Sparrentak, Chang, Miller, Nichols, & Sonneville, 2018). It is essential to consider the fact that the number excludes deaths that result from instances of suicide. Thus, this acts as a definite problem for the United States, which the government is expected to focus on as part of finding proactive solutions.
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The level of violence occurring within the United States has been escalating at a significant rate within the past decade attributed to the fact that a considerable number of people find themselves gaining access to guns. Majority of the states do not have stringent requirements for persons intending to own guns with the view that every individual has the right to a gun. Thus, this means that the number of guns in the streets is increasing at a rate in which the government may not be able to control. Additionally, this also means that the government finds itself in a position where it is expected to spend more in dealing with crimes that can be associated with the increased misuse of guns. The ultimate expectation of this is that the country will face a severe crisis resulting from the fact that more people would gain access to guns that would later be used to engage in criminal activities.
Dealing with the issue of guns can also be evaluated from the perspective that the United States finds itself in a dilemma considering that teenagers and adolescents are gaining access to guns easily. In some of these cases, the teenagers and adolescents engage in acts such as school shootings, which not only endanger themselves but also result in notable harm to their peers and teachers within the school environments. That can also be seen from increased cases of mass shooting, which have also been on a significant rise with the number of those dying or getting injured rising at uncontrollable rates. The issue in question has been on how the government would be able to deal with these issues in an adequate environment.
The debate on gun violence is driven by the fact that a significant number of the persons accessing guns tend to have criminal backgrounds or show signs of being mentally unstable, which exposes the society to notable risks. Rogowski & Tucker (2018) point to the fact that the number of mass shooting thus far in 2018, which stands at approximately 297, is more than the total number of mass shooting recorded in 2017. From that perspective, it is clear that the issue is on trying to limit the number of persons with access to guns with the view that this would help reduce such cases. Additionally, this will also be used as a critical avenue through which to ensure that the persons accessing guns do not have criminal backgrounds, which exposes them to a high risk of using the guns for purposes of crime.
Solution Analysis
The solution presented in the debate focusing on the issue of increased gun-related acts of violence has been on the implementation of gun control measures and policies. Although the aspect of gun control has been faced with a wide array of criticism, it is essential to evaluate this as a critical solution to the problem plaguing the United States today. The implementation of gun control policies does not seek to cartel on the freedoms that people tend to have concerning access to guns. Instead, it only seeks to control access and use of these weapons with the view that this would help save much more lives in the future. Lack of gun control policies would mean that many more unstable people would be able to access guns, which would reduce the overall possibility of protecting the people.
The idea of having to focus on gun control is driven by the fact that any person intending to purchase a gun would be expected to go through a background check to determine his or her past engagements in issues of crime or whether the person has been diagnosed with a mental condition. Thus, this means that it would be much easier for the government to limit access to guns with the focus being towards reducing the overall outcomes touching on issues such as mass shootings among others. Additionally, the establishment of gun control policies would also mean that the government would have records of any persons owning a gun, as well as, information on the gun. Thus, this means that in the event of a crime, it would be much easier for the government to link the same to a specific type of gun, which would be of great value in dealing with the high number of unsolved gun-related murders.
Conclusion
In summary, the United States finds itself at a dilemma on the issue of gun control taking into account that the country is split on whether to establish control measures that would limit access to guns. However, a review of the debate from a problem perspective indicates that the country has experienced a significant rise in the number of cases associated with gun-related violence. An example can be seen from the fact that the number of mass shootings thus far in 2018 totals to the overall number of shootings that were recorded in 2017. The implementation of gun control measures would only be expected to ensure that persons with criminal backgrounds or those with mental conditions do not have access to guns.
References
Rogowski, J. C., & Tucker, P. D. (2018). Critical Events and Attitude Change: Support for Gun Control After Mass Shootings. Political Science Research and Methods , 1-9.
Van Sparrentak, M., Chang, T., Miller, A. L., Nichols, L. P., & Sonneville, K. R. (2018). Youth opinions about guns and gun control in the United States. JAMA Pediatrics , 172 (9), 884-886.
