Is Gun Control an Effective Way to Control Crime?

Name:
Professor:
Subject:
Date due:
Is gun control an effective way to control crime?
In the wake of the Christchurch mass shooting in New Zealand, which left about fifty people dead, the debate on regulation of firearm ownership is bound to begin again. The rise in criminal activities and gun-related incidences such as this one are a lighting match of discussion on gun control. Crime refers to an illegal activity that causes harm to people and leads to the breaking of the law. The issue of gun control to reduce crime is a serious discussion that attracts different perspectives. On the one hand, some people believe that instituting stricter gun control will reduce and eliminate crime, while others think that gun control does not influence crime. The premise of gun control is that criminals commit crime because they own and have access to firearms; however, this belief is flawed as guns cause fewer deaths, the current laws on gun restriction have failed, citizens also own guns and guns do not commit a crime, but criminals do.
One of the primary reason as to why gun control is not effective in controlling crime is that deaths from firearms are rare. The belief that guns result in many deaths of people is false. According to 2014 Just Facts, there were over 371 million firearms owned in the United States with eighty percent of them privately possessed. Private gun owners use their guns primarily for self-protection, hunting, target practice and protecting their businesses (Agresti, Smith, & Guerra). Of all the deaths that occur each year in the United States, the Gun Violence Archive 2019 estimated that only 2, 859 resulted from the use of firearms accounting for less than one percent (Gun Violence Archives). Hence, with 99 percent of deaths occurring due to other causes other than the use of guns, instituting stricter gun laws will not reduce crime.
The second reason is that the government has in place already numerous gun laws that have not been effective. The question of how criminals still access firearms is an indication of the failure of current gun laws. To acquire a gun in America, one has to satisfy various requirements such as be eighteen years old and above, be of sound mind, should not have a conviction record or be a fugitive (NRA-Institute for Legislative Action). However, criminals still access guns. The presence of a large black market enables criminals to purchase all manner of firearms without restriction, even more than those legally allowed, aiding criminal activity. The second part is that stricter gun laws would push more people into the black market to buy guns as opposed to following the tedious laws. More...