Effect of Mental Illness on Gun Violence

Running head: EFFECT OF MENTAL ILLNESS ON GUN VIOLENCE 1
Effect of Mental Illness on Gun Violence
Name
Institution

EFFECT OF MENTAL ILLNESS ON GUN VIOLENCE 2
Effect of Mental Illness on Gun Violence
Introductory Statement: Gun violent has been a persistent social problem particularly in the
United States. Consequently, there have been an increased number of deaths related to gun
violence and escalating health care cost. Nonetheless, there has been a direct connection between
gun violence and mental illness in contemporary society.
Thesis: a high level of violence in the United States has been attributed to increase gun
ownership particularly by the stigmatized people or rather people with mental illness.
Summary of main ideas:
 In essence, the issue of firearms, Gun collectives, as well as dialogues regarding gun
ownership is often associated with stigma or rather mental illness.
 People with psychiatric disorders are often linked to the issue of violent or rather violent
behaviors.
 There has been a historical association between mental illness and the issues related to
violence in society due to forced psychiatric interventions.
 Mental illness can predict or rather causes gun violence in society.
Main Idea #1
Claim: In essence, the issue of firearms, Gun collectives, as well as dialogues regarding gun
ownership is often associated with stigma or rather mental illness.
Evidence:
 Gun shows have been considered as being problematic and have therefore been an area of
debate particularly concerning firearms and violence. Notably, the overall association
between firearms as well as violence are not unjustified. Gun collectives have been
thought to experience core stigma as well as event stigma. According to research, these

EFFECT OF MENTAL ILLNESS ON GUN VIOLENCE 3
people are considered to be core stigmatized and rife with political controversy as well as
illegal activities (Blithe & Lanterman, 2017).
 In the United States, there have been reports of gun collectives being linked or rather
subjects of repeated event stigma (Blithe & Lanterman, 2017).
 In most cases, mass shooting or individuals particularly mass shootings in public places
are mostly attached to gun collectives (Blithe & Lanterman, 2017). In this case, stigmas
have been attached to gun collectives.
 The United States tend to have the highest rates of firearms homicides compare to any
industrialized democracies across the world. Notably, the issue of a mass shooting is
more common in the United States than any other country with a high income and is
often committed with guns that are acquired legally (Blithe & Lanterman, 2017).
Significance: The issue of gun collectives has been more entrenched in stigma in the United
States particularly in contemporary society. Consequently, there has been a direct link between
gun ownership and stigma among individuals in the United States.
Main Idea #2
Claim: People with psychiatric disorders are often linked to the issue of violent or rather violent
behaviors.
Evidence:
 People with mental illness are anticipated to have at least 10 to 20 times likelihood of
committing suicide than homicide. Additionally, these people are considered to be more
likely to be victims of crime (Leyton, 2018).
 According to research people with antisocial as well as related personality disorders have
been considered to commonly exhibit socially objectionable behaviors (Leyton, 2018).