Gun Safety Debate Ideas
Even though the United States Supreme Court decided on June 28, 2010, that the Second Amendment's right to bear arms is an individual right, the debate rages on how best to reduce gun violence. Advocates of more stringent gun control maintain that banning more of the weapons and making it harder for individuals to obtain guns are the keys to reducing violence. Gun rights groups say that criminals will always obtain guns, so gun control helps those criminals by disarming potential victims.
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Concealed Carry
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As of April 2011, 40 out of 50 U.S. states offer a broad right to carry concealed weapons. Most require a permit, though four allow concealed carry with no permit. In some states, anyone who meets the standards must be issued a permit. In a few, the state has more latitude in determining whether it will issue a permit. Eight of the states have very restrictive laws and issue few permits, while two outright prohibit concealed carry of firearms. Compare and contrast the experience of guns used in crime in the various states, giving particular emphasis to how the rates changed in specific states after their gun laws were altered.
Buy Backs
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Many cities have sponsored voluntary gun buy backs, during which anyone can turn in a gun, registered or not, and get paid for it. Advocates say this policy helps take guns off the streets, reducing the availability of firearms to gang members and other criminals. Critics charge that it has been used by gun dealers and criminals to make money off guns that were already defective or nearly worthless, and has had no effect on crime rates. Compare the violent-crime rates of cities that have sponsored such programs both before they began and after they ended.
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Background Checks
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While almost all the parties to gun safety debates have agreed that some sort of background check is appropriate before a person can buy a gun, how that check should be done remains the subject of debate. Some purists maintain that once a Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOID) has been issued it should be sufficient. The National Rifle Association has supported some form of "instant check" through a national database of people disqualified from owning guns that is operated through the FBI. The original Brady Act provided for a more extensive background check and a five-day waiting period before approval. Consider what best balances public safety and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals with gun owners' rights.
Mandatory Waiting Periods
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Many states impose a mandatory waiting period of several days between the time someone purchases a handgun and when he can actually take possession of it. Advocates of such laws say this allows a cooling-off period if someone wants to buy a gun out of anger, for example. They also point to credible studies that show an increased incidence of suicide among people shortly after purchase of a handgun. Critics argue that the waiting period most imperils women and others who are being stalked by another -- and the waiting period is often a death warrant. On this aspect, both sides have solid studies to back up their arguments. Consider where the balance should lie, or whether there should be provisions to allow for waiver of a waiting period.
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