An American Disparity for Gun Control

The American Disparity for Gun Control has been a constant public policy issue within the US and state jurisdictions. Many current legislators are using the gun control initiatives created to help local cities to protect gun rights and keep guns away from highly volatile people. Most gun control advocates have a personal story that has affected them to campaign on the gun control acts. In the United States, there are about 300 to 400 people lost annually to mass shootings but suicides claim more lives than mass shootings consistently. According to the National Research Council (NRC), a small but significant fraction of gun suicides are committed within days to weeks after the purchase of a handgun. There have been legislators who work on these gun control policies that take in account that many individuals that earn gun license training and purchase a firearm can have a underlying condition. It has been known that in medical research that for suicide prevention the signs for a suicidal individual can be very quite and unsuspecting. Therefore, some gun control activist believe that if an individual is prone to a suicide or hostile thoughts while in possession of a firearm they must tell their medical doctor, mental health worker, social worker, family or friends.

Studies have shown that many people who have a mental problem are more likely to tell the medical doctor who has worked with them for many years on their health issues. Gun control activist believe that it is important to have an electronic database system that gives individuals the privilege to waive their rights for if they believe they are prone to suicidal attempts with a firearm. Cataloging the instances in a national database system that identified the risk of an individual who might purchase a firearm is already in effect. Certain database systems include National crime information center database (NCIC), Interstate identification index system (III), and NICS Index. These networks can be used a the state level when an individual has to submit fingerprints and background check before they are able to earn a license for a firearm. Current US legislation Senate bill 7, rewards states for adopting this legislation or legislation that is similar to this program. Grant programs to aid implementation of red flag laws shows that many of the states will be prone to use the funds to help local citizens stay safe in their communities. Red Flag laws are also known as extreme risk protection orders were proposed in the 116th US Congress. During this time 15 states and the District of Colombia passed a form of the Red Flag law. Progress has been made in the US congress but there is so much more work to be completed in the individual state congressional gun control proposals. There states have their own constitutional guidelines that must be followed however there are big incentives for states to adopt a online database system that can be used for the gun purchasers registration and quick access for law enforcement to respond to immediate instances.

The ultimate goal of gun control legislation is to keep all US citizens safe no matter where someone with a firearm might have traveled. Certain states don't recognize all concealed weapons permits or firearm licenses. There have been recent issues that regard interstate commerce where individuals from another state can register for a concealed weapons license in one state and have their permeant address in another state. I believe that a national survey must be conducted to find the true representation of people who apply for a concealed weapons license but have a permeant address in another state. Theoretically, it could be possible that these individuals might be in a state where the permit does not allow concealed weapons for that specific firearm. In about 34 years of statistical data for the state of Florida, there have been hundreds of thousands of people who have gained a concealed weapons license with their permeant address in another state. In that time frame, a research study would show how many of these individuals got another license in the new state residence or how many kept their firearm purchased from the original state.

I believe it is important to acknowledge that people who travel state to state with firearms must been seen as a threat to society. Even with protective instincts or self-defense gun license holders must know the laws and regulations in the states that they are traveling through. Certain aspects of these gun laws from state to state require individuals to have prior knowledge or could be subject to prosecution for their interstate commerce. I will continue my research into gun control reform for US presidential, US congressional, state government, local law enforcement, and security.