1. Bloomberg, Michael R. Reducing gun violence in America: informing policy with evidence and analysis. JHU Press, 2013.
The main argument of this book is that there is little effort by the federal government to strengthen the existing gun laws despite there being thousands of deaths because of gun violence in the United States of America. Daniel Webster and John Vernick, the books’ authors, state that Congress is to blame for the lack of reforms in the gun industry because it prevents the publication of crime gun trace data and demands the deletion of the statistics from the system to protect illegal firearms dealers. This book covers gun legislation, gun rights, mental illness and violence risk, and the enactment of legislation to protect victims of domestic violence.
This book provides useful information because it gives the data on the number of deaths by gun violence in recent years; the authors provide statistics that there are more than 11,000 murders and 19,000 suicides from gun violence every year. This source is reliable and objective because the data is from credible evidence. The goal of the authors is to show that Congress is doing little help to strengthen the gun laws and prevent the annual killings.
This source is helpful to the research because it provides reliable statistics to support the argument on increasing cases of gun-related violence and deaths in the country. The information from the book will give evidence showing how Congress has failed to protect American citizens from the dangers of being targeted by firearm owners who are mentally ill or have criminal records. The source will support the argument for the need of law reforms in the gun industry and importance of background checks for any prospective gun owner in the country.
2. Kleck, Gary. Point blank: Guns and violence in America. Routledge, 2017.
This book argues that the debate on gun violence and control is significant for the nation, but there are some explanations which do not warrant any logic. It claims that some of these theories are so biased and do not offer any evidence to support their theories. The point by the author, Gary Kleck, is that the gun violence and debate is a delicate issue which should not be politicized by a few biased individuals because the lives of millions of Americans are at risk. The topics in the book include propaganda and politics on gun ownership, uses of firearms, effects of guns on violence, self-defense, public opinion, and weapon regulations in the country.
This book is a useful source because it helps to separate between bias and actual evidence on the dangers of gun violence. The information by the author is credible because it contains interviews and opinions of the public on the importance of firearm control. The source is objective because it gives both the advantages and disadvantages of regulating gun ownership in the U.S. The goal of the book is to separate genuine debates from bias and politics of weapon use and licensing by civilians.
The source is helpful because it helps shape the argument that gun control and use by citizens is an issue of national debate; every person needs to participate in the discussion and give his or her opinions with no fear. It is from the national debate that genuine reasons will are separated from biased and politically-inclined arguments. The source will help the research in explaining the cases of uses of guns for self-defense, criminal activities, suicides, and weapon accidents.
3. Kleck, Gary. "The impact of gun ownership rates on crime rates: A methodological review of the evidence." Journal of criminal justice 43.1 (2015): 40-48.
This article gives a methodological review on the evidence of how gun ownership rates impacts on crimes rates. The primary argument by the journal is that high firearm ownership rates do not increase the instances of criminal activities. The author noted that all the 41 studies which conducted the research had one conclusion, that is, civilian gun ownership rates do not influence the frequency of crimes in the society. The point by the author is that only weak research studies show positive effects of gun levels on violence. The topics in the journal include the validity of firearm- crimes association, the causal order, and the overall patterns of the research findings.
The journal is a useful source because it deviates from the common perception and research conclusions high that civilian gun ownership increases the rate of criminal activities in the communities. The article disagrees with the other sources which insist that citizens who own firearms are most likely to influence violence than the unarmed civilians. 41 research studies using methodological criteria support the information on the article. The source seems biased because all the research uses only three specific methods to conduct the reviews and make the conclusion. The goal of the author is to discredit any research which establishes that gun ownership increases crimes, as a weak source.
The journal is helpful because it provides a different angle in the debate on civilian gun-ownership and licensing; it advocates for the federal government to permit more citizens to own firearms. The author’s deviation from the common perception against gun ownership gives more reason to conduct further research and determine the real theory. The source is useful for the project because of its evidence discrediting other studies as weak. The journal gives one an open mind when handling the topic because it encourages further research before concluding on the issue.
4. Rozel, John S., and Edward P. Mulvey. "The link between mental illness and firearm
violence: implications for social policy and clinical practice." Annual review of
clinical psychology 13 (2017): 445-469.
The journal argues that the United States of America has a high number of firearm violence than any other developed nation in the world at the moment. The main argument by the authors of this article is that gun brutality in the country is a significant and preventable public safety disaster. John Rozel and Edward Mulvey, the journal’s authors, also argue that mental illness is a weak risk factor in the violence, contrary to the public’s perception that it has a considerable influence. The point by the authors is psychologically-unstable persons are unfairly accused of being the key perpetrators of firearm aggression. The topics of the article include mental illness and gun violence, the social and legal perspective of firearm ownership, and current policies and initiatives towards ending gun violence in the U.S.
The journal is a useful source because it narrates the connection between mental illness and firearm aggression. Unlike the other sources, this article’s focus is on the public’s misconception concerning psychological instability and its relation to gun violence. The information is reliable because the research by the authors is comprehensive. The source is similarly objective because it is against the prejudice towards the mentally-ill persons in the society. The goal of the journal is to make the government and other key players in the gun industry formulate relevant laws to stop gun aggression.
The information in the article is useful because it helps support the argument that the legislation on firearm ownership in the U.S. is weak and needs an amendment to protect citizens. The source will assist the project by demystifying the misconception that mental illness is the only risk factor influencing gun aggression in the country. The journal has not changed my perception about the topic because it supports my stand on the issue.
5. Rossi, Peter H. Under the Gun: Weapons, Crime, and Violence in America. Routledge,
2017.
The book provides an overview and in-depth analysis of several research and studies concerning weapons, crime, and violence in America. The main argument by the book’s author, Peter Rossi, is that the intention of the majority of the researchers on this issue is to persuade instead of informing the readers. Therefore, Peter’s point is that the studies have ignored some of the most critical questions and matters concerning the debate on gun violence. The book’s topics are the following, weapons, crime and violence, and firearms and their control.
The information in the book is useful because it gives in-depth scrutiny of other studies on the project. The author gives reasons for further research to be conducted and states that the available information on gun violence is inadequate for a convincing hypothesis on the matter. The information is reliable for a project. The source is objective because the author approaches the topic from an agnostic point of view on what relevant laws should be enacted to end the aggression and insecurity. The goal of the book is to encourage more research on the subject so that the public can have adequate knowledge.
The source is helpful to the project because it helps in giving the merits and demerits of relevant literature on the topic. The book helps shape the argument that there needs to be further research on gun violence in the nation. In the project, this source will assist in separating credible data from false information regarding the subject. The book does not change my notion that gun violence is a disaster which needs national attention and intervention.
6. Siegel, Michael, and Emily F. Rothman. "Firearm ownership and suicide rates among US
men and women, 1981–2013." American journal of public health 106.7 (2016):
1316-1322.
The journal examines the relationship between firearm ownership and suicide rates among the United States of American men and women. The main argument of the article is that the suicide rate is higher in male gun owners than female firearm holders in the country. The point by the authors is that policies that reduce gun licensing will likely mitigate more suicide deaths by men than by women. The topics in the article include statistical analysis of firearm-related deaths, policy implications on both genders, and public health repercussions.
The article serves as a useful source for the research because of its in-depth analysis of how gun licensing leads to suicide rates in both men and women. Like the majority of the other sources, the journal infers that firearm ownership increases violence rates in America. The information is reliable because the authors conducted research using a dependable model of data analysis. The source is objective because the authors have directly indicated the limitations of their study; the journal is not biased and leaves the reader to determine how to interpret the data. The goal of this source is to provide credible analysis for the research on how gun ownership relates to suicide rates in both male and female civilians.
The information in the journal is helpful because it is objective and separates female suicide rates from male ones. The source helps support the argument that lack of strict gun policies has led to an increase in the number of deaths because of loose firearm legislation in the country. This journal will be helpful in the research project in providing the exact data on the number of suicide rates in the U.S due to gun ownership. The article has not changed my perception of the need to revise the existing firearm laws.
7. Spitzer, Robert J. "Gun control: Constitutional mandate or myth?." Moral Controversies
in American Politics. Routledge, 2014. 203-237.
The book examines areas of controversy in the U.S., and how the federal government is using its influence to make policies on those matters. Chapter six of the book, on gun control, analyzes on the statement of whether the subject is a myth or constitutional mandate. The author of the chapter, Robert Spitzer, states that the American citizens have the right to demand their protection from the illegal weapons. The point by the author is that firearm ownership is a freedom right, but the government should control its use. The main topic which is relevant to the project is on chapter six, gun control.
The book is a valuable source for the research. Just like the other references for the project, the information in this book supports the protection of citizens from unlawful firearm use in the U.S. the information is reliable and objective because it gives both views on the debate; it narrates on the need to allow civilians to own guns and to determine how they use these weapons. The goal of this source is to show how the federal government has failed in its mandate of protecting the rights of citizens.
The book is helpful to the research because it helps shape the argument that the lack of reasonable gun laws is to blame for the rising cases of violence in the country. This source provides an in-depth discussion of the necessary amendments to the legislation to protect people from illegal gun licensing. The book supports how I think about the topic; I believe that Congress should initiate more effort to protect civilian deaths from shootings by unstable gun users.
8. Webster, Daniel W. "Commentary: Evidence to guide gun violence prevention in
America." Annual review of public health 36 (2015): 1-4.
The main argument by the article is that firearm aggression is a major threat to the safety and health of the American citizens. The point by the author of the journal is that the lack of policies to determine gun licensing procedures is to blame for the increasing number of deaths in recent years. The journal covers the discussion of the possible legislation and programs on reducing illegal use of weapons.
The article is a useful source, and it supports the implementation of more laws on gun ownership, just like the other sources. The information from the journal is from a symposium, and therefore, reliable and objective to use. The author’s goal in writing this journal is to influence the need for more policies to be enacted and protect citizens from unstable gun owners.
The source is helpful because it supports the argument that the federal government is failing in its war against illegal weapons in the U.S. The journal will assist the project in giving relevant statistics on the number of deaths from civilian shootings in the country. The source supports my topic and point on the need for urgent implementation of new legislation on gun ownership and use.
