Gun Control #2

Gun control. Many people around the globe have argued that the solution of terminating violent criminal activities is through clearing more regulation of guns. The significant questions underlying all gun control policy arguments are: Do the laws encourage or deter crime? What is the overall effect? Are more lives helped in the process or lost? Therefore, Anecdotal evidence cannot be applied in this debate. In the United States, citizens have the freedom to handle their personal concealed handgun if they can prove that they do not have a clinical history of critical mental illness or have a criminal profile in the police records. Apparently, this is listed in the constitution, and it is termed as shall-issue law (Carlson, 23).

Mustard David reviewed the FBI past crime records for the entire American States from 1978 to 1993. His findings were dramatic. From the crime statistics, it showed that by allowing people to acquire concealed handguns the States reduced rape by 5%, killings by 8.5%, robbery and gangs related crimes by 7.1% and aggravated assaults cases by 7.2%. Indeed, this shows that the downside of shall-issue laws is that violent crime rate reduced while property offences such as larceny and auto theft increased (Lott, 256). The advantages of licensed guns are not enclosed to the one who possess them or utilize them in self-defence. But, the reality that these guns are genuine keeps goons or robbers unsure as to whether a prime victim has a weapon and can defend him or herself using lethal force.

In this scenario, the chance that anyone might be having a lethal weapon makes attacking random people less attractive. Hence, citizens that are unarmed enjoy a free-ride on the fellows with concealed guns. In other words, the rate of robbery, murder, rape and aggravated assault are dropping as a result of this gun control policy.

Consequently, the shall-issue law appears to help female more than male. For instance, when a woman possesses a licensed weapon it reduces the killing rate for females by about triple times more than a man who is armed would do for their male counterparts. Also, victims of violent assault are physically weaker than the one who is assaulting them. Therefore, by allowing females to have a licensed handgun will offer a significant difference in her capability to save herself when in trouble. Guns are the best equalizer between the vicious and the weak. In 1994, President Clinton implemented the Brady Law that restricted men convicted of domestic violence from acquiring a concealed weapon. This helped in reducing crime like rape and assault against women.

However, the issue of gun control law is a debate that every resident of the United States is in a dilemma on how best to solve it. In 2014, 52% of Americans agreed that the right to own concealed handgun should be protected while 46% disagreed with this, they suggested that gun regulation should be controlled. The negative effect of allowing concealed weapon in the society is that women are also at risk. For instance, it has been noted that five women are murdered with guns daily in the United States. So far, a woman`s risk of being killed raised to 500% if a concealed gun is present during a domestic dispute (Schmalleger, 345).

Currently, the global is experiencing the news of Oscar Pistorius, who is sentenced to five years for killing his girlfriend. He is a double amputee athletic in South Africa who killed his girlfriend and was convicted in September of manslaughter. In his defence, he claimed that he thought an intruder was in the room rather than his girlfriend who was in the bathroom (Carlin, 56). Therefore, this is evident that irresponsible using of a concealed handgun can be fatal especially where women lives’ are concerned. Additionally, in the controversial trial of George Zimmerman in 2012 it clearly showed how concealed handgun policies are becoming a nightmare even for the judiciary. The government was pressed by the civil right movement to rule the case as a racial profiling assault and hoped the judicial process would rule in their favour. With Obama as the first black president of the United States, many civil right movements expected he would do actions that will favour them in that specific case. But the judicial process ruled the case as a self-defence castrated assault and Zimmerman was released (Book caps, 156). This clear shows that concealed handguns can be used as a self-defence aid or as an advantage against your enemies or people you dislike.

Concerning that, citizens have the right to handle their personal concealed handgun if they do not have a history of critical mental illness or a criminal record as highlighted in the shall-issue law. Contrary, it has been noted that the rate of robbery, murder, rape and aggravated assault are dropping as a result of these gun control policies. Women are the great beneficiaries of the shall-issue law. However, it is fatal to them in cases of domestic dispute. Proving the point that concealed handguns can be used as a self-defence aid or as an advantage against your enemies or people you dislike.

Work Cited:
Book caps film. Gun Control: The Pros and Cons of the Issue. , 2013. Print.
Carlin, John. The Trials of Oscar Pistorius: The Trials of Oscar Pistorius. London: Atlantic Books, 2015. Print.
Carlson, Jennifer. Citizen-protectors: The Everyday Politics of Guns in an Age of Decline. , 2015. Print.
Lott, John R. More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun-Control Laws. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. Print.
Schmalleger, Frank. Criminal Justice: A Brief Introduction. Boston: Pearson, 2014. Print.