Guns influence the day-to-day lives of a large percentage of the world population either directly or indirectly. Guns themselves do not pose any effects on human beings. However, depending on the intentions of the user, they may turn into useful resources or lethal weapons. The issue relating to the threats posed by guns has attracted considerable interest concerning the need to establish policies that regulate the possession and use of guns. When ill-minded individuals use guns to terrorize law-abiding citizens and cause needless loss of lives, questions arise concerning the effectiveness of various Gun Control Laws. Although guns are not the only factor that promotes the commission of various crimes, their ease of access makes them a favorable weapon among criminals. In addition, they are easier to conceal and possess the ability to inflict extensive damages.
Security is a daily consideration for every individual. A society in which individuals live in constant fears of attacks cannot contribute effectively in the process of national building. Such a society becomes unproductive as its members place more focus on avoiding various security threats instead of engaging in productive tasks. Guns act as an important component of the process of maintaining law and order and guaranteeing the security of citizens. While some systems have restricted the possession of guns to law enforcers, others, in the effort to improve the security of citizens have legalized the possession of guns by individuals (Bennett et al., 2003). Such an approach has created loopholes that make it easier for ill-minded individuals to possess guns and use them for wrong purposes. Statistics indicate that a large number of criminal acts involve the use of at least one gun. Thus, a gun acts as a tool that facilitates the violation of various human rights that require protection. Evidence indicates that despite the legalization of firearm possession by individuals, incidences of criminal acts such as robbery have not shown any significant decline.
Effective Gun Control Laws should ensure that guns continue to act as a tool for maintaining law and order and improving security without leaving loopholes that allow criminals to silly access guns (Roleff, 2007). In this regard, Gun Control Laws should ensure that there are records for all guns in the possession of individuals. In addition, strict rules should apply to cases concerning the loss of a firearm by a licensed individual. Such rules may include the cancellation of firearm possession licenses and the imposition of fines depending on the conditions surrounding the loss of firearms. This will ensure that guns remain in the possession of rightful owners, as people will fear the consequences associated with gun loss. Gun Control Laws should employ strict measures, such as imprisonment, concerning the illegal possession of a firearm.
Stipulating strict rules that discourage illegal possession and use of firearms will help to minimize cases relating to the use of a gun as a tool to rein terror on innocent people. Although strict Gun Control Laws can help to minimize gun-related crimes, they cannot fully eliminate incidences relating to unlawful gun possession and use. Guns are a universal issue, and their control requires an international approach. Since the production of guns is necessary to cato for the requirements in fields such as the military, it cannot cease. The mitigation of gun-related problems requires the establishment of global legislation to tackle issues such as the proliferation of firearms.
References
Bennett, J. O., Briggs, W. L., & Triola, M. F. (2003). Statistical reasoning for everyday life. Boston: Addison-Wesley.
Roleff, T. L. (2007). Gun control. Detroit: Greenhaven Press.