NCJ Number
201774
Date Published
2002
Length
303 pages
Annotation
This book considers the options available in the Untied States for gun control in terms of administrative issues, enforcement dilemmas, and unintended consequences.
Abstract
In this book, the author strives not to engage in a moral debate about the question of gun control, but rather to provide a substantive look at how gun control might operate in the United States. U.S. gun control policies must be able to function in a culture steeped in a tradition of private firearms ownership and must be able to overcome a thriving and powerful American gun culture. As such, this book looks at the practicalities of gun control, asking throughout the book, what will work? Part 1 offers an examination of the nature of the gun problem in America. Chapter 1 reviews the history and magnitude of the gun problem. Chapter 2 provides an historical assessment of Federal and State gun control legislation from the 1920’s to the present. Chapter 3 discusses the political, cultural, administrative, and law enforcement challenges to the effective implementation of gun controls. Part 2 of the book looks specifically at the 1993 Brady Law. Chapter 4 traces the politics that led to the passage of the Brady Law, with an emphasis on the time and effort required to pass this modest piece of gun control legislation. Chapter 5 explains how the Brady Law is supposed to work and explores the significance of the Supreme Court’s Printz decision that ruled one part of the Brady Law unconstitutional. Chapter 6 exposes the gaps in the Brady Law, while chapter 7 analyzes its impact on violent crime. Part 3 turns to an exploration of options for the future of gun control. Chapter 8 examines the possibility of expanding the Brady Law to cover some of its gaps, while chapter 9 explores the registration of firearms and the licensing of owners. Chapter 10 provides a critical analysis of prohibition and disarmament, while chapter 11 examines a range of gun control options, such as mandatory trigger locks and safe storage laws. Finally, Chapter 12 explores the crime control potential offered by stricter enforcement of current gun controls. Notes, bibliography, indx