In the USA, firearms are ubiquitous, with an estimated 120 firearms for each 100 individuals, in line with the Small Arms Survey. This widespread availability of weapons has led to a excessive charge of gun violence, with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) reporting that almost 40,000 individuals die from gun-related accidents annually. Whereas there are numerous components that contribute to gun violence, probably the most vital is the benefit with which individuals can receive weapons. On this article, we’ll discover the assorted ways in which individuals can get weapons in the USA, and we’ll focus on the implications of this for gun violence prevention.
There are a selection of ways in which individuals can get weapons in the USA. One of the vital frequent is thru licensed gun sellers. Gun sellers are required to conduct background checks on all prospects earlier than promoting them a gun, however these checks usually are not at all times efficient in stopping individuals from shopping for weapons who shouldn’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, individuals can even purchase weapons from non-public sellers. Personal sellers usually are not required to conduct background checks, and this makes it simpler for individuals who shouldn’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 benefit with which individuals can get weapons in the USA has quite a lot of implications for gun violence prevention. First, it makes it simpler for individuals who shouldn’t have weapons to acquire them. This consists of individuals who have been convicted of a felony, people who find themselves mentally unwell, and people who find themselves topic to a restraining order. Second, it makes it simpler for individuals to purchase weapons and not using a background examine. This can be a explicit concern for people who find themselves making an attempt to keep away from having their felony 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 individuals to purchase weapons in bulk. This can be a explicit concern for people who find themselves planning to make use of weapons for felony functions.
