NCJ Number
160190
Date Published
1992
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A variety of measures, from gun bans to background checks on gun buyers, have been proposed to reduce the epidemic of gun violence in the United States; whether these measures would be effective is a matter of much debate.
Abstract
A central issue in using legislation to reduce access to firearms is whether new laws should aim to do a better job of keeping firearms away from criminals and the mentally imbalanced -- which is the main goal of the Brady Bill as well as multitudes of existing Federal, State, and local laws -- or should they cut more deeply into gun ownership by other citizens as well. A large minority of Americans wish laws to restrict gun ownership and manufacture in general, but millions of firearms owners become livid at such proposals. They argue that reducing access to guns for responsible citizens will only increase their vulnerability to violence by criminals, who will circumvent any law against gun ownership. There is, in fact, serious disagreement among scholars who have studied guns and violence about how effective even the more sweeping proposals would be. Both sides use statistics to show that their position, whether it favors increased accessibility to guns or reduced accessibility, will reduce firearm violence.