Gun Control Essay Research Paper The issue

Gun Control Essay, Research Paper

The issue of gun control and violence, both in Canada and theUnited States, is one that simply will not go away. If history is tobe any guide, no matter what the resolution to the gun control debateis, it is probable that the arguments pro and con will be much thesame as they always have been. In 1977, legislation was passed by theCanadian Parliament regulating long guns for the first time,restructuring the availability of firearms, and increasing a varietyof penalties . Canadian firearms law is primarily federal, and"therfore national in scope, while the bulk of the firearms regulationin the United States is at the state level; attempts to introducestricter leglislation at the federal level are often defeated".The importance of this issue is that not all North Americansare necessarily supportive of strict gun control as being a feasiblealternative to controlling urban violence. There are concerns with theopponents of gun control, that the professional criminal who wants agun can obtain one, and leaves the average law-abiding citizenhelpless in defending themselves against the perils of urban life. Isit our right to bear arms as North Americans. Or is it privilege. Andwhat are the benefits of having strict gun control laws. Through theanalysis of the writings and reports of academics and experts of guncontrol and urban violence, it will be possible to examine the issuesand theories of the social impact of this issue.Part II: Review of the LiteratureA) SummaryIn a paper which looked at gun control and firearms violencein North America, Robert J. Mundt, of the University of NorthCarolina, points out that "Crime in America is popularly perceived [inCanada] as something to be expected in a society which has lessrespect for the rule of law than does Canadian society…" . In 1977,the Canadian government took the initiative to legislate stricter guncontrol. Among the provisions legislated by the Canadian governmentwas a "Firearms Acquisition Certificate" for the purchase of anyfirearm, and strengthened the "registration requirements for handgunsand other restricted weapons…" .The purpose of the 1977 leglislation was to reduce theavailability of firearms, on the assumption that there is a "positiverelationship between availability and use". In Robert J. Mundt’sstudy, when compared with the United States, trends in Canada over thepast ten years in various types of violent crime, suicide, andaccidental death show no dramatic results, "and few suggestions ofperceptible effects of the 1977 Canadian gun control legislation". Theonly positive effect , Mundt, found in the study was the decrease inthe use of firearms in robbery with comparion to trends in the UnitedStates . Informed law enforcement officers in Canada, as in the UnitedStates, view the "impact of restricting the availability of firearmsis more likely to impact on those violent incidents that would nothave happened had a weapon been at hand"(152).In an article by Gary A. Mauser of the Simon Fraser Universityin British Columbia, he places special emphasis on theattitudes towards firearms displayed by both Canadians and Americans.According to Mauser, large majorities of the general public in bothcountries "support gun control legislation while simultaneouslybelieving that they have the right to own firearms" (Mauser 1990:573).Despite the similarities, there are apparent differences between thegeneral publics in the two countries. As Mauser states that "Canadiansare more deferent to authority and do not support the use of handgunsin self defence to the same extent as Americans".As Mauser points out that "it has been argued that culturaldifferences account for why Canada has stricter gun controllegislation than the United States"(575). Surprisingly enough,nationwide surveys in both Canada and the United States "showremarkable similarity in the public attitude towards firearms and guncontrol"(586). Both Canada and the United States were originallyEnglish colonies, and both have historically had similar patterns ofimmigration. Moreover, Canadians are exposed to American television(both entertainment and news programming) and, Canadians and Americansread many of the same books and magazines. As a result of this, theCanadian public has adopted "much of the American culture" .In an article by Catherine F. Sproule and Deborah J. Kennettof Trent University, they looked at the use of firearms in Canadianhomicides between the years of 1972-1982. There findings firmlysupport the conclusion that gun control is beneficial. According toSproule and Kennett, gun control "may be influencing some suspects tokill by other methods, but it is less likely for these suspects tokill multiple victims". From the study conducted by Sproule andKennett the rate of violent crimes was five times greater in the U.Sthan Canada, and "almost double the rate of firearm use in Americanthan Canadian homicides" (32-33). In short, the use of firearms "inCanadian homicides has declined since the legislative changes in guncontrol in 1977".As mentioned in lectures, Canadian cities have beentraditionally safer, and less vulnerable to ‘Crime Waves’ than ourAmerican neighbours due to our extensive police force and gun controllaws . A factor to be considered, though, is our national heritageor culture whic