Does Limiting Access to Firearms Reduce Gun Violence?

Does Limiting Access to Firearms Reduce Gun Violence?
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Does Limiting Access to Firearms Reduce Gun Violence?
Introduction
Gun violence is a complex problem in society that requires an immediate and multifaceted solution to reduce its drawbacks. Americans have been victims in multiple cases of gun violence ranging from elementary school shootings to violent public attacks among others. For a nation that swears to protect the lives of its citizens, changes must be implemented to stop the trends. However, while the majority of people would want the number of gun violence cases to reduce, only a few manifest ideas on how to reduce gun violence. Mostly, people have resorted to the need for policy change to limit gun violence. Even so, the debates are continuing bearing the benefits that come with ownership of guns even though gun ownership is a fundamental right of Americans. This study aims to explore limiting access to firearms as a strategy that could reduce gun violence if implemented effectively. With the implementation of restrictions about access to guns, chances are high that gun violence will reduce because only an identifiable group of people will access the weapons in specific places and times.
Background
There are multiple reasons presently that have triggered the debates on how to manage gun violence. Nearly 40,000 people were killed by firearms in the US in 2018 alone. These numbers are increasing annually (CDC, 2021). Unfortunately, little has been done to curb the deaths even though the situation keeps worsening. Part of the challenge is that the state of gun violence in the US has attracted politics and notable human rights debates. Presently, the laws that govern access or ownership of guns in the US vary by state. States like Kansas and South Carolina allow their citizens to carry firearms out in public which some might argue increases the likelihood of mass shootings. Their laws also allow gun owners to shoot an attacker in self-defense, which gives individuals a sense of security. Additionally, citizens make the argument that firearm ownership is protected under the constitution. However, other states such as California are more restrictive with their gun laws by limiting the number of individuals allowed to carry firearms in public. The citizens also have limited access to firearms, requiring safety devices such as trigger locks in gun safes. Presently, there are three popular avenues that policymakers can employ to reduce gun violence including restricting “stand your ground” policies, restricting concealed-carry permits, and limiting access to guns. Limiting access to guns is the most popular and highly considerable option.
Research Question
The research question for this study is: does access limiting access to firearms reduce gun violence? This question stems from a highly contestable standpoint that undue access to firearms is a contributor to gun violence. It is indicated that gun violence could reduce by up to 10% if access to guns is restricted (Heston, 2017). Limiting access to gun violence implies reducing the number of people who can access guns. Restricted access to firearms by individuals such as children, convicts, people ...