While bans unrealistic, reforms still necessary
With every mass shooting comes a barrage of myths and irrelevancies on both sides. With so much emotion, constructive debate is difficult. To make progress, we must calm down and identify the real problem and potential solutions.
Violent crime rates in general — including assault, robbery and sexual violence — aren’t especially high for the developed world, according to a 2009 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In fact, violent crime rates have been declining for the past 20 years. If video games or supposed “moral decline” were really driving violence, as many argue, we would expect violence to be increasing instead.
But America’s homicide rate is almost four times higher than the average upper-income country. It’s not that we’re more violent; it’s that more of our violent encounters end in death. America has uniquely loose gun control and uniquely high homicide rates. To deny the link is naïve.
While assault weapons bans make politicians feel good, they won’t significantly reduce gun homicides, 79 percent of which are committed with handguns. Mass shootings wouldn’t be prevented either. The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter likely only used an assault rifle to terrify. He could have easily acquired multiple handguns.
Real policy solutions will require recognition that guns are too easily accessible and their movement too free. A 2001 U.S. Department of Justice report found that 43 percent of felons who used firearms in crimes acquired those guns from friends or family. Guns too easily enter the general public through legal channels and disappear.
The first priority should be private sales reform. Both parties should be required to go to a gun dealer where backgrounds can be checked and new ownership registered. A national gun owner database should be created and annual safety inspections should be required to ensure ownership hasn’t been illegally transferred. Gun owners should also be held to a higher standard. They should be required to undergo extensive safety training, demonstrate mental stability and purchase liability insurance. Finally, a waiting period of about a week for gun purchases would reduce anger-driven homicides. Suicides made up 62 percent of all gun deaths in 2010 and could also be reduced by giving the depressed time to seek help.
While some propose complete gun bans, this is unnecessary and a direct violation of the Constitution. Switzerland may have a better model. The Swiss have the highest rate of gun ownership in the developed world excluding the U.S., yet their homicide rate is still quite low. They simply have more effective regulations promoting gun safety and preventing guns from getting into the hands of criminals. This further proves the point that gun violence and homicide can be reduced without eliminating the ability for responsible citizens to own firearms.
Similar work by Matt Coleman can be found on his personal blog colemanwire.wordpress.com.