How do People Who Commit Gun Violence Get their Guns?

The recent intensifications of crimes committed in the United States leave a lot of questions concerning the origins of the guns possessed by these individuals. As of now, the United States has the highest rate of homicides among advanced countries, which is partially linked to rather open access to guns on the gun market: ‘With 5 percent of the world’s population, the United States has 50 percent of the guns.’ (Zakaria, 2012). On the one hand, the right to own a gun has been granted in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Thus, people who commit gun violence may claim their right to the legal possession of guns. These people may frequently appeal to the historical reasons, linking the protection needs to their desire to purchase guns. On the other hand, there are some groups of the population whose gun possession right is not always based on the legal grounds. Thus, the origins of the gun possession comprise of the legal and illegal grounds in the country that regulates the gun ownership constitutionally.

Primarily, the historical reasons largely contributed to the current shape of the legal grounds that enable the gun ownership to any citizens, including those who committed crimes. The history of the gun ownership comprises one of the primary reasons why the gun ownership became prevailing. Throughout history, guns would help people to survive in the difficult circumstances and facilitate facing challenges. However, until these days, the United States had an adjusted legislative basis for the adoption of the gun control laws that were not strict enough which led to the increased amount of gun violence crimes committed in the country. The recent shooting raised the issue to the top of political agenda, as the country “has the highest rate of homicides among advanced countries” (Farley, 2012). Naturally, the citizens who desire to possess a gun can easily appeal to the historical reasons and claim their right to protect themselves. As soon as the gun occurs in their hands, there is little a government or any institutions can do to prevent gun violence and crimes. That creates an even growing challenge for the state, which allows the gun ownership and has limited control mechanisms to those who commit gun crimes.

At the same time, the nature of the right for self-protection is relevant until now, too. The gun ownership serves as a tool for many families in the United States who go hunting and use the guns appropriately. At the same time, there is a group of the population that neglects the original meaning of the gun ownership and creates a challenge for the state. If the gun ownership is managed effectively, there will be little threat of shootings, but the recent reporting of fires demonstrate that the landscape becomes significantly different as the guns are used to satisfy some mental and psychological desires. The historical roots of the gun ownership demonstrated multiple benefits to the population of the country, but are no longer applicable to the modern context.

It is also worth understanding that some perpetrators undergo some dangerous experience, frequently illegal, to pursue their guns. One of the origins of the gun possessions in the United States comes through the undocumented as well as unregulated transactions. Even those most perpetrators claim in their interrogators that they possessed their guns legally, there is also a large extend to the illegal gun possession. Some data suggests that 22% of the gun ownership in the United States comes through the undocumented and unregulated transactions, without any background checks of those who own the guns. The meaning of the illegal transactions entails the involvement of the disqualified individuals in the course of the background checks. For instance, they may have faced mental illnesses, the illegal status of residence or other issues. Thus, anyone providing guns to such individuals is taking part in the illegal transactions. Another source of the illegal gun possession questions the stores, as some gangs report their gun purchase directly from the stores without prior background checks. That demonstrates the need for strengthened background checks and strengthened gun regulations in the country due to a substantial amount of citizens who possess the guns illegally.

From the legal point of view, the political regulation of the right to own a gun is defined at the federal level.  The debate on the gun control and gun ownership is somewhat challenging to navigate, as a range of factors involved in the process is enormous. There are different positions of proponents, but it is no less important to understand those who still want to see gun ownership in the country. What is, however, essential to understanding is the fact that there is a substantial lobby of gun ownership organizations, which do not want to see the gun control in the United States, as it would negatively reflect on their incomes. One must be alert of the massive lobbying for the right to own a gun, which enables gun ownership among the individuals committing crimes, too.

To sum up, there is a need to impose a stricter gun control measures and ensure that the Second Amendment of the US Constitution remains protected. It will prevent the individuals who possess guns legally and illegally from further extending the criminal activities that frequently result in the deaths of the innocent US citizens.

References

Granderson, L. (2016). Opinion: Gun control is not the answer – CNN.com. CNN.

Farley, R. (2016). Gun Rhetoric vs. Gun Facts. Factcheck.org.

Zakaria, F. (2016). Fareed Zakaria: The solution to gun violence is clear. Washington Post.