More Gun-Laws, More Crime, Essay Example

Gun laws to reduce criminal activities against society has been the topic of discussion in the hall of justice, in the political and other arenas, but there are strong arguments for  the revocation of this legislation.

One of the most famous and compelling study on gun control was done by Gary Fleck, a noted criminologist, and card carrying member of the American Civil Liberties  Union (ACLU), and he concludes that 2.5 million crimes are prevented each year by the defensive use of guns. (www.galegroup.com , 0727/10)

On the flipside of this issue there are 700, 000 gun related crimes committed in the US each year.  In 1997 according to James D. Agresti, there were 7, 927, 000 violent crimes and of these 691,000 were committed with the use of firearms.  Mathematically speaking, if the crimes committed by criminal using guns are subtracted from crimes prevented defensive use of the guns, there should be a net increase or decrease in the crime rate. (Agresti, J.D, 06/10/1999)

The year in question was 1997, and the conclusion was that approximately 2 million crimes were prevented by the defensive use of guns; a fact which brings to the ground, the concept among gun policy makers, that the more gun laws they enact the lower the crime rates will be.

By extrapolation using the given statistic, the more the guns therefore that are in the hands of legal residents, the less criminals would attempt to commit crimes, because they are fearful of their criminal careers being terminated in the process. Carrol is also in agreement with this line of thinking when he wrote, “heavy gun restrictions causes gun crimes to increase, and one only has to look at the crime statistic for Australia, New Zealand and Washington D.C. to agree with this statement. (Carrol, S., 12/07)

Washington D.C. impose a virtual Ban on hand guns in 1976, but between that year and 1991, but there was a 200% increase in the homicide rate, compare to 12% for the entire USA. (Agresti, J.D., 06/10/199)

In 2000 Australian gun owners were forced to surrender 640, 381 personal firearms to the government for their destruction at a cost of $500m, but 12 months later homicide rose 3.2 %, assaults increase 8.6%, armed robberies climbed a whopping 44%, and in the state of Victoria homicide with firearms rose alarmingly by 300%, according to police officer Ed Chenel. (Chenel, E., www.breakthechain.org., 07/15/01

New Zealand Justice Department diplomatically wrote, that the rapid increase in violent offences has been of particular concern in recent years, both to the public and the criminal justice agencies. www.justice.org.nz/publications/publications-archived/1997 , 07/30/10.

The evidence from these three entities should confirms the fact more gun laws generate more crimes, but Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws are also in support.  This organization comprising mainly of medical doctors and others having PhD’s in various disciplines, and is dedicated to the analysis of all gun debates, has reported conclusively, that gun is used to prevent crimes, than they are used to aid it.

Sheldon Freedman, in an October 1998 article wrote that gun laws do not reduce crime. He used the case of the 19century Frenchman Frederic Bastiat to explain the dangers of imposing gun laws. In order to understand the consequences of a policy,

Bastiat says, one must consider what is seen, and what is unseen, for there is a tendency for policy makers to see only the immediate effects of a given policy, or its effect on a special group and neglect to inquire what the long term effect will be on not only that group, but on all groups. (Friedman, S. 1998)

Gun law maker only see the rejected applicants at the gun counters, but fail to see  the criminals that are using alternate means to acquire guns and commit crime son defenseless residents across the country. They also failed to see the people who would have lived, and rise to the zenith of the professional and other careers, had they not impose such stringent gun laws, but may see the criminals that are behind bars or in the court system awaiting trials.

Daniel D. Polsby is also in support of less gun laws to reduce crime, because he enunciated that, people without access to firearms are easy prey for those who have guns.

The situation he laments leads to high levels of violence, as those who are armed take advantage of those who are not. However he contends if most citizens are armed, society is generally more peaceably, because criminals are wary of attacking someone who have a gun. (Bender, D.L, et al, 1997)

Gun laws imposition were responsible for the deaths of 200, 000 and the fight from home of 2.5 million citizens in Bosnia Herzegovina in 1992, because the United Nations policy maker wavered whether to lift the 2 year arm embargo placed on the Bosnian Moslems. (Bender, D.L., et al, 1997)

Had the embargo being lifted such dastard act against humanity may not have occurred, because the criminals would have considered the effects of the weapons the armed Bosnian Muslims have in their possession.

The words of Saul Cornell can be added to the discussion, in the hope that policy maker may see the error of their ways, and save millions of lives that may be lost in the future due to stringent gun laws. Cornell told his audience that it is time for gun control proponents to reclaim the constitutional high ground, because the Second Amendment is being misused by the opponents of gun control. Ironically he says, the Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms, and does not prohibit robust gun control, but compels it. (Cornell, S., 05/06)

While he encourage opponents of the gun laws to use their Second Amendment Constitutional Rights to fight, crime and violence continues in many major cities especially Chicago and Washington, and drug culture is fast becoming one with that of the gun.  Criminals does not care about the constitution and are only deterred where they think they will face opposing forces that will match or defeat them.

Why should people be forced to claim constitutional high ground when they have no answers to the continuing increase in crime and violence in and around them, especially from across the Mexican border? Maybe Cornell have the answer, but the reality of the matter is that more gun control has not and will not lead to reduction in crimes and violence in this society.

In order for safety to return people should start listening to Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws, examine Gary Fleck arguments, look into the logics of Polsby Hypothesis, embrace Bastiat philosophy, share Agresti mathematical computation, learn from the Bosnia Herzegovina massacre, as well as what is happening in Australia and Washington D.C. and New Zealand.

Assuming then facts starts to emerge and neighbors become influenced about gun laws, then overtime legislators will have to take steps to repeal several of these laws, if they intend to save their political careers. Many will then come into agreement with

Morehouse and Wanner, who jointly declare  that gun laws , while politically attractive, because it appears to deal directly with the problem, may in fact be a blunt instrument for reducing crime. (Moorhouse , J.C., Wanner, B., 2006)

Reference

Carrol, S. 12/2007, “Gun Crime Fact’s”, Rebirth of Freedom Foundation, www.galegroup.com, 07/29/10 www.galegroup.com, “Gun Laws do not reduce crime,” 07/29/10

Freedman, S., “The Seen and Unseen in Gun Control,” The Freedman, October1998, www.galegroup.com, 07/30/10

Cornell, S. 05/06, “The Second Amendment is Misused by Proponents of Gun Control,” History News Network, 07/30/10

New Zealand Justice Department, “Interpreting Trends in Recorded Crime in New   Zealand, 1997www.justice.org.nz/publications/publications-archived/1997, 07/30/10

Agresti, J.D. June 10, 1999, Just Facts, www.justfacts.com/guncontrol, 07.30/10

Chenel, E., Break The Chain, www.breakthechain.org/exclusively/australiaguns.html, 0715/01

Moorhouse, J.C., Wanner, B., 2006, Does Gun Control reduce crime or does crime increase gun control? Cato Journal, Vol.26 Winter 2006