Gun Violence: Prevention, Policy and Prediction

Among the developed nations today, the United States is one of the rare countries where arms rights are inscribed in the constitution. Accompanying the possession and use of firearms, the once-great power of the world is also where gun violence occurs likely every single day, sometimes with catastrophic consequences, such as the latest shooting on February 14, 2018, happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School, a former student walked into school and shot 34 people and 14 of them died where others are injured.

Because of that mass shooting hundred thousand of people gathered up in Washington D.C to protest about gun violence and bring their hope that the government will stricter about gun control, young children marched, holding hands with their parents. Grandmothers and grandfathers wept as they shouted “Enough is enough!’ Students and teachers carried signs that read ‘Never Again.’ (Tod Olson). There was an election on November, not in Florida but also every state in United States giving their hope that new congress will help for better in gun control and help to stop gun violence in United States. Kasky was 17 when he spoke at the protest in Washington. He looked out at the crowd full of young people and asserted ‘People have asked me, do you think any change is going to come from this?’ he said. ‘Look around—we are the change!'(Tod Olson).

Found that more than 83% of citizens in United States consider guns as violence and more than 50% out of 83% consider it as a very big problem that need to be solve immediately. It will be less mass shooting if stricter guns purchase occurs. Americans who were support background checks before individuals purchase guns at guns shows, number who agree with it are 65% and still increasing (Pew Research Center). A survey by the Pew Research Center shows that the United States is in the most intense conflict in the last 20 years. Southerners also strongly support gun ownership. Similarly, large coastal cities on the East and West coasts are vehemently opposed to guns while the Far West, with farm owners, farmers, miners, loggers, and independent groups respect and need guns for various purposes. (Pew Researching center).

How Mass Shootings Increase After Years?

The number of gun deaths is alarming. Over the past decade, on average, more than 33,000 Americans have died from guns. Two third of them were suicides. About 1,300 victims were killed in domestic violence involving guns- 586 cases by accident, 11,000 homicides, and hundred killed by shooting. Mass shootings have become deadlier and seem to happen frequently. From 2000 to 2015 the numbers of shootings have increase more than doubled- there are four out of five incredible deadliest shootings had happened in past five years that shaken American History. Beside that 2017 is the year where most of the mass shootings that had big casualties take place compare to any years (Wall Street Journal).FBI shows that because the mass shootings increasing from the straight line from 2000 then from 2013 the shootings have increased dramatically we can call it as a “ rising trend”, where the shooters follow the trend when there are more and more (FBI). The FBI have shown how the mass shootings growing big from 1982 until now in figure 1 and the figure has shown 2017 is the year of mass shootings.

How Democrats and Republicans Respond to Guns Control?

Up to 42% of Republicans have at least one gun while only 16% of Democrats are armed. While 56% of Republicans think that more armed Americans will reduce crime levels, the opposite is true, only 15% of Democrats have this viewpoint, while 51% think criminals will increase if more Americans have weapons.73% of the Republican think individuals should carry guns while 26% of Democrats agree with it.75 % of Democrats and only 24 % of Republicans consider gun control regulations to be tighter (Baxter Oliphant). Both Republican and Democrat think guns control is a big modern problem in United States. Nearly two-thirds of Democrats agree there would be fewer mass shootings in the U.S. if it were stricter for people to legally obtain guns; only about a one-fourth of Republicans agree with it (Baxter Oliphant).

NRA Affect in Guns Control

According to the New York Times, the NRA was founded on November 16, 1871, a not-for-profit American gun advocacy organization based in Fairfax, Virginia. The main objective of this organization is to encourage people to use guns on a scientific basis (“World Malayalee Council”). Not just a non-profit organization, the NRA is invading the political arena to fight gun control laws in the United States ( The New York Times).In 1934, the NRA established a Legislative Branch composed of many analysts and former politicians to analyze, evaluate and evaluate upcoming bills, after the National Arms Act was adopted in 1934.In the 1970s, the NRA focused primarily on shooter shooters, hunters to undermine the Gun Control Act of 1968. In 1975, the NRA established the NRA Acting Institute for Legislators formed a powerful coalition with politicians to ‘protect the American gun culture”. The NRA still exists and supports gun ownership and is always looking for ways to counter gun control laws, many mass shootings will occur like the mass shooting Las Vegas (The New York Times)

How Donald Trump Respond to Guns Control ?

US President Donald Trump said on October 1 that the government would need only a few weeks to officially approve the bump stock regulation. Before that on February 22,2108 trump has tweeted on twitter-he claims, “I will be strongly pushing Comprehensive Background Checks with an emphasis on Mental Health. Raise age to 21 and end sale of Bump Stocks! Congress is in a mood to finally do something on this issue – I hope!”.

One of the writers who wrote about the gun violence is Thomas Gaber with his best known work named “ America’s Gun Violence Problem”. He describes how American faced with many witness mass shooting in the past few years. He assert, “ Over the last few years, our country has witnessed mass shootings in schools and on college campuses, in workplaces, movie theaters, places of worship, nightclubs, and shopping malls”. He also strongly support on the way to reform the guns laws(pp.1). Thomas believes because the number of ownership still increase so it is easy to understand that there will be many serious incidents will occurs are undeniable. American take over the world in privately guns ownership and the number estimated is 31% while American population just accounting for less than 5% of the world (pp.11). The number of home succide by guns in American is dramatic, the number of murdered my firearms is at least three times in other country(pp.14). Thomas claims, “Higher gun availability in the USA is likely an important factor in the choice of guns over other means of killing. The cost of having many availably guns in America is to expensive so each of the citizens should take a action now for our better America.

Roughly 30,000 people are killed in the U.S. each year by guns—whether by accident, suicide, or homicide—according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia). In comparison to other developed countries, firearms in the U.S. are very loosely regulated. In many European countries, for example, gun ownership requires a license from the police. In Japan possession of firearms by the general public is forbidden by law. In Canada, where registration of handguns has been required since the 1930s, a federal law requires the registration of all guns, including rifles and shotguns, with mandatory background checks and a mandatory gun safety course for gun owners(Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia).

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