Gun Control

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorCollege, Undergraduate October 2001

download word file, 3 pages 0.0

Gun Control It's hard to believe that it takes shootings like the ones at Columbine High School, or any ghetto drive by shooting to make us realize that American children and adolescents are more at risk from fire arms than any other well developed nation. In one year, firearms in the United States killed 5,285 children. You may ask how these numbers compare to other more Industrialized Nations; in one year, firearms killed 19 in Great Britain, 57 in Germany, and 109 in France. USA's statistics are ahead by a milestone when compared to other nations, thus more restrictions and bans should be applied when dealing with problematic issues like children and guns, concealed handguns, and guns in households.

American children seem to be the ones that pay the price for gun violence. From 1984 to 1994 the firearm death rate for 15-19 year olds increased 222%! The problem is that instead of providing new ideas for the development of childproof guns, the gun industry spends profits making their products more harmful.

Also there are laws such as the Brady Law that make it illegal for children under age 21 to purchase handguns, however there is a "loophole" that still lets 18 to 21 year olds to purchase handguns from private or unlicensed individuals. In 1996-97 over 6,000 students were expelled for bringing guns to school. What should be done is the passing of Child Access Prevention laws; these laws have been passed by 17 states. These states hold gun owners criminally liable if a child has access to their loaded weapons to hurt them selves or someone else. Of course, all causes have their effects 12 states which passed CAP laws by 1997 have lowered accidental deaths of children from firearms by 23 % in the two...