The Gun Control Debate

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that the gun control debate is largely defined and framed by groups with diametrically opposing views about the Constitutional guarantees afforded to individuals with regard to the right to own guns. The writer looks at the position that gun control is necessary and then looks at the argument against gun control. The writer concludes that in lieu of actual evidence of the social harm represented by guns, the only rational response in the gun control debate is to admit that open--if regulated--access to firearms represents a viable means for individuals to protect themselves from abusive assaults and oppression and should be preserved as an individual right.

Outline:
Introduction
The Argument for Gun Control
The Argument Against Gun Control
Some Conclusions about Gun Control

From the Paper:

"The obvious conclusion that must be drawn from this historical evidence is that national homicide rates committed with guns is independent of the overall number of homicides committed. If the homicide rate could fluctuate so dramatically while the use of guns for those homicides remained relatively steady, it is evident that the latter cannot be cited as the cause of the former.
"Similar statistical and historical analyses further erode the case that gun ownership represents a significant threat to public safety or that it somehow in-crease crime rates dramatically. The argument that gun ownership is somehow ultra-hazardous ends up more conceptual than empirical. True, gun ownership can confer increased risk of harm, but it is not evident that this harm is funda-mentally worse than other hazardous activities: such as crop-dusting with pesti-cides or transporting gasoline on highways."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Amar, A.R. (2002, Spring). Second thoughts. Law and Contemporary Problems, 65(2), pp. 103-111.
• Hunt, L.H. (2001, Winter/Spring). Epilogue: is there an issue here? Criminal Justice Ethics, pp. 40-44.
• Kwon, I. and Baack, D.W. (2005, April). The effectiveness of legislation con-trolling gun usage. The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 64(2), pp. 533-547.
• LaFollette, H. (2001b, Winter/Spring). Controlling guns. Criminal Justice Eth-ics, pp. 34-39.
• Moorhouse, J.C. and Wanner, B. (2006, Winter). Does gun control reduce crime or does crime increase gun control? Cato Journal, 26(1), pp. 103-124.

More papers on The Gun Control Debate:

• Persuasive Essay # 74503 : "The Gun Control Debate"
• Analytical Essay # 14667 : "Gun Control Debate"
• Analytical Essay # 113090 : "Gun Control in New York"

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