Gun Control

1
Gun Control

• Leading Debates in Gun Control Policy

2
Gun Control

• Can gun-safety laws help prevent accidental
  shooting deaths and injuries?
• Do laws making it easier to carry concealed
  weapons reduce crime?
• Does the 2nd Amendment limit the governments
  power to regulate individuals possession of
  firearms?

3
Can gun-safety laws help prevent accidental
shooting deaths and injuries?

• Since 1990, 15 states have passed laws requiring
  adults to either
• Store loaded guns in a place reasonably
  inaccessible to children
• Use a device to lock the gun
• Adults can be held criminally liable if a child
  obtains an improperly stored, loaded gun

4
Do laws making it easier to carry concealed
weapons reduce crime?

• John Lott More Guns, Less Crime
• Not only do right to carry laws not increase
  violent crimes, but they actually have a
  significant effect decreasing them
• Murder
• Rape
• Armed robbery
• Right to carry laws do seem to lead to increase
  in property crimes

5
2nd Amendment Debate

• A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the
  security of a free State, the right of the people
  to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.
• Supreme Court and lower federal courts have
  treated 2nd Amendment as limited to protection
  for state militias
• No federal firearms legislation has been
  struck down based on 2nd Amendment