We all know that a large percentage of murders are committed by people who cannot legally own firearms, but what is the real effect of the New Gun Law? First, it does not prevent all gun crimes. The vast majority of these crimes are committed by people with criminal records or other disqualifying factors. While background checks are a good thing, they will only be effective if they are enforced.
Another issue is whether regulation will work. Opponents of regulation argue that laws are not primary arbiters of human behavior and should be limited to addressing the worst aspects of the problem. Yet to make gun control work, it is important to understand the relationship between laws, weapons, and violent behavior. Bad laws divert resources and can lead to a false sense of security. The role of law is not to change behavior, but to reflect social norms.
In addition to its potential to increase gun crime, the New Gun Law will also make gun-traces more difficult. Under current gun laws, gun sales to criminals are difficult to trace, and it is extremely difficult to prosecute a seller for selling a gun to a criminal. Because gun sales are usually made to people who are not authorized to have them, it is impossible to trace every gun sold in an instant.
While Democrats have pledged to bring the gun control legislation up for a fast vote, the Senate has a hard time making progress on the issue. In a political race over gun policy, the confirmation of Steve Dettelbach, former U.S. attorney for Ohio, has become a major issue. One moderate Democrat, Lanae Erickson, questioned Biden’s first nominee because she was too anti-gun. Meanwhile, Republicans questioned Donald Trump’s last nominee, David Chipman.
Many states have implemented laws that prohibit the possession of firearms by felons. These laws are based on the fact that many violent crimes are committed by misdemeanants who legally purchase handguns. Those convicted of misdemeanors have double the likelihood of being violent, according to research by Wintemute and colleagues. Therefore, it is vital to have strong mental health laws to prevent gun violence.
The New Gun Law has a rocky history. Its failures have resulted in tragedies such as Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 and the shooting at the Virginia Tech college campus in 2016. However, the passage of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act in 2007 will largely correct this problem. The New Gun Law has the potential to prevent more tragedies like these. With the exception of the Parkland tragedy, it will be difficult to enact gun control laws in a democratic society.
The main goal of gun control legislation is to prevent gun violence. It aims to prevent gun violence by educating people about their responsibilities regarding firearms. But research has shown that gun education programs do not work. Further, the laws that focus on “child access prevention” (CAP) focus on adult responsibilities instead of the safety of children. These laws have been associated with modest reductions in unintentional shootings and suicides among adolescents.
