In today’s society were crime is becoming more and more prevalent, it seems that danger is almost around every corner. Think about how many shootings you have heard about within this past year. Many people feel that gun control will lower the shooting rate. However, like all other laws, gun control has its pros and cons. One cannot make a complete decision about gun control until they read and do some research to fully understand the gun control laws.

Most people have a general knowledge of gun control, however, they do not know some very important facts. While gun control might tame crime for a little while, it does not lower the crime rate. Taking away guns will only help lower the crimes related to guns. Gun control has been a topic that has led to many arguments because of different opinions about the subject. With all the myths going around, it is hard to find out what is true and what is false. There are many sources one can go to and read up on to be able to figure out what is a myth and what is real. This subject can be a very dangerous subject to discuss because of the reactions and uproars it might bring. Many feel that gun control is the government’s way of forcing us into a communist like country. They feel that they are taking a part of their freedom. A few years ago John Lott and David Mustard published a lengthy study (1997). “The study concluded from extensive empirical evidence that criminals respond in certain ways that can be predicted…” (Shughart,1999). Researchers have done studies to try and see how much gun control would be needed, but the answers varied depending on the area they were studying. No two countries were alike.

To know how much gun control is needed, researchers have to look at the crime rates. If the rates were higher, then they would need more control in that specific area. If the rates were lower than they would not need as much control as the higher crime rate countries. Although there are literally thousands of state and local gun control statutes, the authors of index group specific gun control measures into the following six categories. (1) Registration of firearms including purchase permits and gun registration of handguns and long guns (rifles and shotguns). (2) Safety training required before purchase. (3) Regulation of firearm sales including background checks, minimum age requirements for purchasing a firearm, a waiting period before sale can be complete, one-gun-a-month limitation on purchase, all applied long guns and/or hand guns, plus a ban on ‘Saturday night specials”, junk guns, and assault weapons. (4) Safe storage laws including child access prevention law. (5) Owner licensing for possession of hand guns and/or long guns and minimum age restrictions for gun possession. (6) The presence of more restrictive municipal and county ordinances (Moorhouse & Wanner, 2006). These six control measures are very important. For example, what if a child was able to access one of their parents’ firearms. It could easy get out of control, especially if the gun is loaded. Plus, the gun itself can do a lot of harm as well. Children can end up dropping it and then it has a chance to go off and potentially hurt someone. This is also why it is very important for the gun to be stored in a very safe and secure place.

Gun control can be helpful in not allowing previous criminals, mentally disabled, or people who are not capable of controlling a firearm properly to own guns. Most of the crime rates are people who bought a black marketed gun because they could not buy one legally. Gun control is meant to protect and keep our freedom. Some people feel that gun control will only make things worse. Even though some people only use guns for self-defense, there are people who want to use guns for harm and harm only. The ones who use guns for self-defense feel that they will lose their only sense of defense. Feeling helpless can cause a person to go mad if they feel like they cannot protect themselves and their loved ones. You never know how someone might act if they feel trapped.

Since gun control has pros and cons, one must decide for themselves if they would like to have more gun control or not. If someone does not agree with gun control, there are other ways to adjust to them rather than cause an outbreak. In the end, gun control was invented to help keep our nation safe. Opinions will never be the same on how to go about keeping our nation safe, but if we can at least understand another person’s point of view, even if we do not agree with it, we will be able to compromise with one another and be on our way to a safer nation.