The United States has the highest number of privately owned guns than any other country in the world
Private gun ownership has resulted in increased gun-related fatalities among US residence. According to Jehan et al. (2017), gun violence has resulted in deaths of at least 32 people and 140 injuries every day. Gun violence has also led to an increase in health expenditure to cater for gun-related injuries.Moreover, gun violence has severely affected the younger US population and has resulted in premature deaths. Mass shooting in schools are prevalent, and to make matters worse, some of the shooters are children below the age of 18 years. The effect of inadequate gun control strategies on the lives of young US citizens should be looked into, and solutions that will ensure that children are protected from gun violence should be considered. Gun violence is a menace that must be controlled by enforcing tighter gun laws in the country.
Research Question
What would it take to reduce the level and impact of gun violence on minors in the US?
Gun Violence Problem
Countless youth and children have been negatively affected by the prevalence of gun violence in the US. In reference to Branas et al. (2017), more than 27,000 teenagers and children are shot and killed in cases of gun violence each year with nearly 14,500 sustaining gun injuries. The effect of gun violence is not only physical, but also psychological to children who witness it or those who survive it. Currently, gun violence is the second leading cause of deaths among children in the US after road accidents. Deaths due to gun violence are increased by family or domestic violence that lead to homicide. Therefore, gun violence in the US mainly affects young people.
Causes of Gun Violence
Both individual and constitutional factors can be attributed to the increase in gun violence in the US. (Jehan et al., 2017) states that firearms are readily available even to teenagers and children in the US. Furthermore, the Second Amendment to the Constitution gives Americans the right to own guns for protection and sport. Mental illness has also been determined to be one of the causes of gun violence. Any individual who goes to a school and starts shooting children is undoubtedly mentally ill. Substance abuse among teenagers and adults is also a considerable risk factor for perpetrators of gun violence. Therefore, personal factors and weak gun control laws are the main factors contributing to gun violence.
Solutions
Gun control and gun safety awareness are the best methods that can be used to reduce the level and impact of gun violence on minors. Branas et al. (2017) stated that increasing the requirements needed to secure a firearm should help to reduce the number of firearms. Teenagers and children should have no access to firearms. People who have a history of mental illness, violence, and abuse should also not be allowed to purchase or carry around any gun. Educating family members including children on gun safety could also reduce the level of gun violence. The impacts of gun violence could be mitigated by offering counseling services to children and minors who have been exposed to gun violence. These methods are likely to reduce gun violence hence decreasing premature deaths that are caused by gun violence.
Controversies Surrounding Gun Control
Gun control is a controversial topic in the US since it has received opposition and support in equal measure. Sofer (2017) explains that some people feel that guns serve as a form of protection in a violent world because law-abiding citizens mostly own firearms. Moreover, criminals will always be able to access guns, hence if guns are outlawed, American citizens will be more vulnerable. These sentiments are further encouraged by special interest groups such as the NRA (National Rifle Association) who oppose any form of advocation for gun safety.
However, other people argue that guns are dangerous, and the ownership of firearms should be limited among American citizens as the only way to curb gun violence. The argument that gun ownership should be controlled is the best argument since it would lead to a reduction in gun violence. If people are unable to access guns, then criminals would also have a hard time obtaining the firearms especially if the government manages to control all guns entering America. Therefore, gun control laws should be enforced if the country wants to reduce gun violence.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the increasing gun violence in the US is mainly attributed to the availability of firearms throughout the country. Young people have been most affected by gun violence. Therefore, several measures such as enforcing gun control laws should be put in place. However, gun control is a controversial topic where people are divided on whether gun-ownership should be abolished in the US or not. Abolishing gun-ownership is the right decision to take to prevent further deaths and injuries.
References
Branas, C., Flescher, A., Formica, M., Galea, S., Hennig, N., " Liller, K. et al. (2017). Academic Public Health and the Firearm Crisis: An Agenda for Action. American Journal of Public Health, 107(3), 365-367. Doi: 10.2105/ajph.2016.303619
Jehan, F., Pandit, V., Azim, A., O'Keeffe, T., Jain, A., Tai, S., " Gries, L. (2017). The burden of firearm violence in the United States: stricter laws result in safer states. Journal of Injury and Violence Research, 10(1), 11-16. Doi: 10.5249/jivr.v10i1.951
Sofer, D. (2017). Gun Violence and Children. AJN, American Journal of Nursing, 117(9), 14. Doi: 10.1097/01.naj.0000524529.50050.7b
