Gun control

About: Gun control is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1211 publications have been published within this topic receiving 16516 citations. The topic is also known as: firearms control & gun law.

Reducing Gun Violence:: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Promising

Abstract: The objective of this article is to review what research we do have, what research we do not have, and how we can use what research we do have to reduce gun violence. It is also suggested how we can use new legislation to do more of the research we desperately need. For while we can conduct many experiments in enforcement strategies without new legislation, we cannot adequately test most legislative proposals without actually passing legislation. In cybernetic terms, it is `smart' policy to treat new legislation as experiments, and to design it in ways that will optimize our ability to learn from each new law.

The Christian Right, the Far Right and the Boundaries of American Conservatism

Abstract: Examining the interconnectedness of the Christian Right and the radical right, this study looks at such issues as abortion, gay rights, and gun control. It argues that the American right is divided over how to advance an anti-liberal agenda.

The Racist Roots of Gun Control

Abstract: Racist arms laws predate the establishment of the United States. This is not surprising. Blacks in the New World were often slaves, and revolts against slave owners often degenerated into less selective forms of racial warfare. The perception that free blacks were sympathetic to the plight of their enslaved brothers and the "dangerous" example that blacks could actually handle freedom often led New World governments to disarm all blacks, both slave and free.

Firearms, violence and public policy

Abstract: See correction in Scientific American, 1992; 266(3):8 Even though the United States has more gun control laws than any other country in the world, Americans are more likely to be victims of gun-related violence, and social and behavioral scientists have been investigating how violence is related to firearms since the 1960's. Research confirms that, as guns become more available, people are more likely to die during violent crimes. Research also shows that many gun control laws do not significantly diminish the number of guns used in violent crimes. Legislators have agreed to many measures that attempt to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, but these efforts have not reduced violence to a level most Americans can tolerate. The issue of gun control hinges on whether the death rate from violence will subside if people are forced to abandon firearms and choose other weapons. All guns are deadly, but some types of firearms are more harmful than others because they are more likely to be used in crime and violence. In particular, handguns account for one-third of the 120 to 150 million firearms estimated to be owned by civilians. Handguns are used in more than 75 percent of firearm-related homicides and in more than 80 percent of firearm-related robberies. The National Crime Survey indicates that crime victims are less likely to resist robbers who carry guns than those who wield other weapons. In cases where robberies result in injuries, guns are far more deadly than other weapons. The role of firearms in forcible rape, suicide, and accidents is not as clear as the demonstrated role of firearms in homicide and robbery. The effectiveness of gun control legislation is discussed, and dangers associated with widespread access to firearms are examined. KEYWORDS: Criminology ; Homicide ; Robbery ; Violent crimes ; Violent crime statistics ; Weapon offenses ; Handguns ; Citizen gun ownership ; Gun control legislation ; Firearm-crime relationships ; Victims of violence ; Violence prevention Language: en