“How the Availability of Firearms Impacts the US Criminal Justice System”

[Writer's Name]

[Writer's Institution]

Contents

Thesis Statement3

Introduction3

Discussion4

The Second Amendment & Gun Control5

Firearm Availability & Ownership6

Households with Guns & Firearms7

Production of Firearms in the United States8

Firearm Related Violence8

Comparison between United States & Canada9

Conclusion10

References11

Appendix13

“How the Availability of Firearms Impacts the US Criminal Justice System”

Thesis Statement

The easy availability of firearms in the United States has a direct influence on the number of homicide victims and the crime rates in the United States.

Introduction

American society has witnessed a heated debate over the acceptance of firearms over the past century. The ownership of guns and firearms is the most contentious issue in American politics and society (Murray, 1975, pp. 82). Many laws have been enacted to curb its production and to control the circulation of firearms in the country i.e. Gun Control Act 1968 etc. In order to deal with the issue a reasonable decision should be made by the authorities charged with the task of gun control. For instance, the law enforcement agencies should incorporate a process of registration for firearm owners. Similarly, a check and balance should be kept on the number of bullets purchased in a year and utilised. On a personal note, the contradictory views of both extremes should be kept in mind when finalizing a decision on gun control. Furthermore, when making a decision, legislators and the authorities must be able to strike a balance between pros and cons of owning firearms.

Speaking of the pros and cons, the cons outweigh the pros significantly. A study conducted by Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (2000), inferred that approximately 48,000 individuals suffered from non-fatal gunshot wounds (CDC, 2001). Furthermore, an approximate 10,000 murders were reported that involved the use of a firearm (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2001). Unfortunately, we will never be able to know the exact number of deaths, primarily because of the influence of gangs, criminals, common fear and the often seen resilience of the general public to get involved with the authorities (CDC, 2012). Society is also plagued with thieves and robbers armed with firearms and their crimes can also be considered for the case at hand (Hawkins, 1998, pp. 240). Firearm related deaths are one of the leading causes for deaths amongst the youth of the United States. Statistics show that during 2000, victims aged 19-25 constituted to almost one fourth of all homicide victims (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2001). One can also go through the number of non fatal accidents related to the possession and use of a firearm (CDC, 2011).

Discussion

The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate how the relatively free availability of firearms impacts US criminal justice and the people of the United States. The facts presented earlier must be analyzed with extreme caution. Though firearms are as much to blame as the criminals who murder, and the issues that cause an individual to take their own life, determining whether or not the mentioned deaths would have taken place if firearm availability was not so easy is rather ...