A Look into Gun Control In the modern world many countries have begun to regulate firearms. Studies have been mostly inconclusive. Never the less, this paper will take a look at the effectiveness of regulation in our own country, as well as a comprehensive look into the environments that cause gun violence. The argument being this, environment has more to do with violent gun crimes than comprehensive gun control laws.
Twenty four states participated in a study performed by the Vital and Health Statistics of the Center of Disease Control and Prevention National Vital Statistic Report for 2000 (Kwon, 2005), where firearm related deaths per one hundred thousand were recorded. Not only were the deaths recorded, but the manner in which people died was recorded. On average fifty seven point nine percent of deaths were suicide, thirty seven point percent seven were homicides, two point seven percent were accidents, point nine percent were legal interventions, and point eight percent were unknown (Kwon, 2005). In addition to death statistics the states were divided into two quartiles; the upper quartile was states with more extensive gun laws and the bottom quartile was states with more lax gun laws. It appears that there are more firearm related deaths in states with lax gun control laws. The interesting note is it is only three point five more deaths per one hundred thousand in the lower quartile (Kwon, 2005). Three more per one hundred thousand is less than a thousandth of a percentage. This is almost a negligible statistic, unless you point out the fact that extensive gun laws haven’t saved a significant amount of people. Another interesting statistic is violent crime in the upper and lower quartile states. The upper states have four hundred sixty one violent crimes per one hundred thousand, while the lower states have three hundred sixty two per one hundred thousand (Kwon, 2005). Even though there are more violent crimes in extensive gun law states, there are fewer gun related deaths. This could due to any number of reasons, like the fact that almost sixty percent of gun related deaths are self-inflicted. In fact the highest death ratio was Alaska at sixteen point nine per one hundred thousand, the state with the highest suicide ratio in America. At this point it would be important to revisit violent crimes. It is a fact that people murder each other. Instead of looking at gun laws and their correlation to crime, let’s look at socio economic reasons to violent delinquency. This study by the American journal of criminal justice has many suggestive results. It explores the correlation of crime, young males, economic inequality, and availability of firearms in different regions around the world (Althiemer, 2011). In Western nations the higher numbers of young males increases homicide by four percent. Economic inequality increases homicide by two percent. Gun availability increases violent crime not resulting in death by an additional four percent. Gun laws decrease homicide by one percent. It can be concluded that inequality and young males will increase violent crimes with guns in Western nations (Althiemer, 2011). In Eastern European nations the higher numbers of young males decreases violence by twenty nine percent. Economic inequality has no effect on homicide. Gun availability decreases homicide by five