Gun Violence in America

This article explores the history, causes and effects of gun violence in America. It discusses the current laws and regulations, and the efforts made by youth organizations to curb gun violence. The article also highlights the need for revising firearm safety laws to control gun violence.

Running head: GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA
GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA
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Author Note

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The gun violence in the United States of America has a long history and the annual
victim count to gun violence is alarmingly high. The last few years saw more than 55% of gun
violence incidents spreading across USA. With the growing mass shootings, in Blacksburg,
Virginia, in Tucson and in Arizona, followed by Aurora and Colorado; the growing incidents of
mass gun shootings in schools and colleges along with suicides and homicides and have led to
the increasing concern among the common citizens of the country. Though the amount of mass
shootings is rare as compared to the other forms of gun violence, the most common forms of gun
violence include criminal attacks, store vandalisms and shootings, intimate partner violence and
other forms of violence with use of gun have been documented widely across the country. The
public concern with the heightened cases of gun violence has led to the rethinking of the gun
laws in the country1. According to BBC reports, the rate of homicide or manslaughter due to gun
violence is the highest in the US among all the developed nations. The report also states that
there had been more than 11,000 deaths2, due to gun violence or crime where a fire arm was used
in 2016. However the growing resentment among the younger generation has resulted in the
changing attitude among people regarding gun control and gun restriction.
The most important aspect of the gun laws in USA is the easy accessibility and
availability of firearms at a very cheap price. The report also reveals that about one third of the
people over fifty have access to a fire arm of any kind. About 40 % of the Americans have
reported to either own a gun or have one within the family. The report also states that an
approximate of 65000 people die each year owing to criminal attacks where a gun has been used.
1 Alcorn, Ted. "Trends in research publications about gun violence in the United States, 1960 to 2014." JAMA
internal medicine 177.1 (2017): 124-126.
2 BBC News (2019). America's gun culture in 10 charts. [online] BBC News. Available at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41488081 [Accessed 17 Jan. 2019].

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However, after the Orlando and the Parkland shooting, there has been a decreasing
interest among the youth regarding the control of gun use and gun control3. These sociological
issues find their expression in the form of aggressive violence with a fire arm and generate
animosity among the criminals.
The Obama administration has tried its best to curb down the violence of guns and the
United States have brought certain regulatory measures to curb gun violence4. Some of the
recommended strategies include Gun safety parental counseling, safety hotline, Gun buyback
programs, intervention programs and Project Safe Neighborhoods show hope of a better future.
According to American progress the amount of deaths due to gun violence is greater than
deaths resulted from accidents which are alarming to a great extent. The Women’s March youth
Empower Team organized a 17 minute National Walkout in all time zones5. The major concern
regarding curbing of gun violence remains in the loopholes of the laws related to gun control.
According to Children’s Defense Fund, the firearm safety laws needs to be revised to control gun
violence. For example, in case of the Brady Law, it requires background check for guns brought
through licensed sales, but does not require similar checking on guns purchased from gun shows
or private sellers. According to them 40% of the sales are from private sales6. Several Youth
organisations have come forward to initiate action against gun violence and work for gun
control. The March for our Lives is one the most well known organisation controlled by the
3 Fox, James Alan, and Monica J. DeLateur. "Mass shootings in America: moving beyond Newtown." Homicide
studies 18.1 (2014): 125-145.
4 McGinty, Emma E., et al. "News media framing of serious mental illness and gun violence in the United States,
1997-2012." American Journal of Public Health 104.3 (2014): 406-413.
5 Center for American Progress. "America’S Youth Under Fire - Center For American Progress". Center For
American Progress, 2019, https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/guns-crime/reports/2018/05/04/450343/
americas-youth-fire/.
6 Rowe-Finkbeiner, Kristin. "America's Youth Is Sick Of Shootings. It's Time To Let Them Lead The Way | Kristin
Rowe-Finkbeiner". The Guardian, 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/21/america-youth-
shootings-florida-emma-gonzalez.

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youth and was founded by the survivors of the Parkland Fla. shooting which took place at the
Douglas High School. Similar organisations such as the Orange Generation, Team Enough,
Youth Over guns, and National Die-Ins are some of the organisations working against gun
violence and pressing the government to amend its law regarding to gun control and gun
accessibility. The national Die In organized a Die In campaign which lasted for 12 minutes or
720 seconds to commemorate the deaths occurred due to gun violence7. These movements and
youth organisations show hope of the future in changing gun violence and the damage it does to
the lives of the million people in the nation.
7 YR Media. "These 7 Anti-Gun Violence Groups Are All Led By Young People - YR Media". YR Media, 2019,
https://yr.media/news/7-anti-gun-violence-groups-led-by-young-people/.

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Bibliography
Alcorn, Ted. "Trends in research publications about gun violence in the United States, 1960 to
2014." JAMA internal medicine 177.1 (2017): 124-126.
BBC News (2019). America's gun culture in 10 charts. [online] BBC News. Available at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41488081 [Accessed 17 Jan. 2019].
Center for American Progress. "America’S Youth Under Fire - Center For American Progress".
Center For American Progress, 2019,
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/guns-crime/reports/2018/05/04/450343/americas-
youth-fire/.
Fox, James Alan, and Monica J. DeLateur. "Mass shootings in America: moving beyond
Newtown." Homicide studies 18.1 (2014): 125-145.
McGinty, Emma E., et al. "News media framing of serious mental illness and gun violence in the
United States, 1997-2012." American Journal of Public Health 104.3 (2014): 406-413.
Rowe-Finkbeiner, Kristin. "America's Youth Is Sick Of Shootings. It's Time To Let Them Lead
The Way | Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner". The Guardian, 2019,
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/21/america-youth-shootings-florida-
emma-gonzalez.
YR Media. "These 7 Anti-Gun Violence Groups Are All Led By Young People - YR Media". YR
Media, 2019, https://yr.media/news/7-anti-gun-violence-groups-led-by-young-people/.

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