In the USA, firearms are ubiquitous, with an estimated 120 firearms for each 100 folks, in keeping with the Small Arms Survey. This widespread availability of weapons has led to a excessive fee of gun violence, with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) reporting that almost 40,000 folks die from gun-related accidents annually. Whereas there are lots of components that contribute to gun violence, probably the most important is the benefit with which individuals can acquire weapons. On this article, we’ll discover the varied ways in which folks can get weapons in the USA, and we’ll talk about the implications of this for gun violence prevention.
There are a variety of ways in which folks can get weapons in the USA. One of the vital widespread is thru licensed gun sellers. Gun sellers are required to conduct background checks on all clients earlier than promoting them a gun, however these checks should not all the time efficient in stopping folks from shopping for weapons who mustn’t have them. For instance, a research by the Authorities Accountability Workplace (GAO) discovered that almost 2,000 individuals who have been prohibited from shopping for weapons have been capable of buy them from licensed gun sellers in 2015. Along with licensed gun sellers, folks can even purchase weapons from non-public sellers. Personal sellers should not required to conduct background checks, and this makes it simpler for individuals who mustn’t have weapons to acquire them. For instance, a research by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) discovered that almost 20% of gun homicides in the USA are dedicated with weapons that have been bought from non-public sellers.
The convenience with which individuals can get weapons in the USA has various implications for gun violence prevention. First, it makes it simpler for individuals who mustn’t have weapons to acquire them. This contains individuals who have been convicted of a felony, people who find themselves mentally sick, and people who find themselves topic to a restraining order. Second, it makes it simpler for folks to purchase weapons with no background test. It is a specific concern for people who find themselves making an attempt to keep away from having their legal historical past checked, or for people who find themselves making an attempt to purchase weapons for another person who’s prohibited from shopping for them. Third, it makes it simpler for folks to purchase weapons in bulk. It is a specific concern for people who find themselves planning to make use of weapons for legal functions.
