GUN CONTROL - A TARGET FOR CONTROVERSY (THE NEW YORK TIMES FILMSTRIP ON CURRENT AFFAIRS SERIES)

• NCJ Number: 68091
• Author(s): J E TESAR
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 0 pages
• Corporate Author: Educational Enrichment Materials
• Sale Source: Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program; Educational Enrichment Materials
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. THE KIT CONTAINS A COLOR FILMSTRIP, AND AUDIOCASSETTE, A WORKSHEET, AND A 19 PAGE DISCUSSION GUIDE.

Annotation

DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS, THIS SOUND FILMSTRIP PRESENTS ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST GUN CONTROL, INCLUDING HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF U.S. GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION.

Abstract

DISCUSSION CENTERS ON THE QUESTION OF CRIME BEING CAUSED BY THE AVAILABILITY OF FIREARMS. OPPONENTS OF GUN CONTROL LAWS CONTEND AMERICANS HAVE THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS AND THAT GUN LAWS HAVE NO EFFECT ON CRIME. THOSE WHO FAVOR A NATIONWIDE GUN CONTROL LAW ARGUE THAT IT WOULD DISCOURAGE CRIMINALS FROM BUYING GUNS IN UNRESTRICTED AREAS AND TRANSPORTING THEM ELSEWHERE. EVERY YEAR IN THE U.S., SOME 3,600 PEOPLE DIE FROM GUN-RELATED ACCIDENTS. A CRIME INVOLVING A GUN OCCURS SOMEWHERE IN THE U.S. EVERY 2 MINUTES, A HANDGUN DEATH EVERY HOUR. IN DETROIT, FOR EXAMPLE, MORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED BY GUNSHOTS ON AN AVERAGE WEEKEND THAN ARE KILLED IN AN ENTIRE YEAR IN ENGLAND. THE FIRST FEDERAL LAWS CONCERNING FIREARMS CAME AS A RESPONSE TO GANG WARFARE IN THE 1930'S. THE NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT OF 1934 EFFECTIVELY PROHIBITED THE KIND OF WEAPONS GANGSTERS FAVORED: SUBMACHINE GUNS, SILENCERS, AND SAWED-OFF SHOTGUNS AND RIFLES. THE FEDERAL FIREARMS ACT OF 1938 REQUIRED THE FEDERAL LICENSING OF FIREARMS MANUFACTURERS AND DEALERS, AND PROHIBITED INTERSTATE SALES TO CONVICTED FELONS. FOLLOWING THE ASSASSINATIONS OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY, AND SENATOR ROBERT KENNEDY, CONGRESS PASSED THE GUN CONTROL ACT OF 1968, BUT GUN CONTROLLERS COMPLAINED THAT THE LAW WAS TOO WEAK TO BE EFFECTIVE, WHILE THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION AND OTHER OPPONENTS OF GUN CONTROL CLAIMED THE LAW RESTRICTED THE FREEDOM OF LAWABIDING CITIZENS WITHOUT CURTAILING CRIME. HANDGUNS WERE STILL EASY TO OBTAIN. A PROPOSED PLAN FOR A NATIONAL PROGRAM OF GUN CONTROL INVOLVES A LICENSING SYSTEM WHEREBY SPORTS GUNS, SUCH AS RIFLES AND SHOTGUNS, WOULD BE SUBJECT TO 'PERMISSIVE' LICENSING AND HANDGUNS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO 'RESTRICTIVE' LICENSING. THE KIT CONTAINS A COLOR FILMSTRIP, AUDIO CASSETTE, A WORKSHEET, AND DISCUSSION GUIDE. (PRG)