Gun control is a set of legal processes intended to restrict and prevent the use and possession of guns, mainly firearms. Gun control among the most sensitive and controversial subjects debated around the world. Few policy matters have evoked heated discussion of the extent encountered in the debate over gun control. The gun control debate often centers on a link between firearms and violence and whether laws on citizens' right to arms are undue restrictions on liberty. The opponents of firearm control regulations allude that minimal restrictions on firearms ensure safer communities with citizens having adequate means of self-defense and deter crime. By contrast, the proponents of gun control laws argue that gun control reduces violence and saves lives. In my opinion, an increase in gun control legislation could significantly reduce both the scale and number of firearm-related violent crimes.
Gun control legislation will help reduce homicides. A quick look at facts demonstrates a chilling relation between firearm ownership and homicides, which should not be ignored. According to Siegel and Rothman (2016), the more deaths related to firearms are reported for each percentage increase of firearm ownership. It is reported that the enactment of state firearms laws led to a reduction in homicide over time with an 18% reduction rate associated with violent demeanor laws (Siegel et al.,2019). The more the people own guns is an area, the more gun-related deaths are reported.
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Gun control regulations reduce the occurrence of violent crime by decreasing the commonness of firearms. It is logical and necessary for tighter gun control regulations to be implemented to save lives. Gun restrictions aim to limit firearms from getting into the wrong hands, eventually leading to fewer deaths. Research has revealed that federal checks could help cut firearm deaths by an estimated 90%, and the universal background checks have been linked with a 14% reduction of gun-related deaths over time (Siegel et al., 2019). The universal background checks could help prevent the mentally ill and criminals from getting access to guns.
Gun control regulations are needed to minimize suicides and societal costs associated with gun-related violence. It is estimated that suicides by firearms are nearly twice that of homicides by firearms, with half of the suicides committed in a year are committed via firearms. The suicides bring about an enormous public health crisis that demands consideration of policies that would help reduce the economic and social impact of the suicides. Hospitalizations for gun-related injuries cost Medicare and Medicaid an estimated $2.7 billion in a nine-year period, which is a considerable cost. As reported by the World Health Organization, the cost of firearm-related violence could also include but is not limited to legal services, incarnation, tourism, medical costs, and psychological costs.
In conclusion, gun control proponents are not interested in taking guns away from citizens. They support the protection of the right to own a firearm and use that arm for lawful purposes that is self-defense, unrelated to serving in a militia. Gun control regulations are vital in keeping people safe from violence and prevent unnecessary costs that could be avoided. Therefore, these will significantly drop the reported numbers on homicides, suicides, and general crime.
References
Siegel, M., & Rothman, E. F. (2016). Firearm ownership and suicide rates among US men and women, 1981–2013. American Journal of Public Health , 106 (7), 1316-1322. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2016.303182
Siegel, M., Pahn, M., Xuan, Z., Fleegler, E., & Hemenway, D. (2019). The impact of state firearm laws on homicide and suicide deaths in the USA, 1991–2016: A panel study. Journal of General Internal Medicine , 34 (10), 2021-2028. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-04922-x
