Alarming: Gun Violence Trends and Possible solutions

 

Alarming: Gun Violence Trends and Possible solutions

A demonstrator holds a placard while taking part in the 'March for Our Lives', one of a series of nationwide protests against gun violence, in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 11, 2022. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

Over decades, the ongoing battle over guns and their place in American society deepens. With countless gun violence cases vs firearms safety, a common ground does not seem likely. Gun violence trends may help show the causes for gun violence and measures to counteract them.

 

Access to guns proves to be the main issue regarding gun casualties and violence in America. Research shows that an overwhelming 251,000 people die worldwide each year due to gun violence, excluding those who live with fatal injuries. A staggering number, which is only to raise red flags and concerns for the public.

Following up, gun accessibility is another lingering issue. Studies show that an estimated half of adolescents can secure a firearm within an hour, with 33.9% able to procure a weapon in 5 minutes. Studies also show that homes with locked weapons can be accessed by the youths in under an hour.

Statistics trend on graph https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/04/26/what-the-data-says-about-gun-deaths-in-the-u-s/ft_23-04-20_gundeathsupdate_2/, PEW Research Center

These statistics have only shown to increase over the years, shown from the graph above. This trend would degrade how effective the current government is handling public welfare and safety. There may need to be some changes towards the current government and legislature to enhance public safety or knowledge.

 

To marginalize the statistics, using a control group, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention were able to measure to a point how weapons are being distributed, especially within the youth. From a study based on 10% of the youth, they found 70% of guns were distributed by friends and another 30% knew a friend of similar age who had access to a gun. Not only that but 25% interviewed stated they knew of multiple locations in which a gun could be accessed.

 

To figure out the solutions to such problems, we must recognize the reasoning behind these actions. According to New York Times, in 2019 alone, there was a recorded 8 million firearms bought by first time owners. With half being citizens of color and or women. A study done showed that of those first-time owners, many reported seeing the world as more dangerous. And shown to yield statements such as “People can’t be trusted,”.

 

Going back to the youth group, frequent answers as to why they would own guns were “for fun” or to feel a sense of “importance”.

 

There is no dismissing that mental health has some leverage over our actions. Not saying it as an excuse but learning more about mental health may be advantageous in the fight against gun violence. Interviews showed that youth who owned guns for respect or to be intimidating appeared to display more antisocial behavior. This may be a key reason for gun violence in America, at least among youths, isolation, or loneliness.

 

A major source of this was the Pandemic. Covid-19 dealt major mental health blows to majority of the human population who quarantined. According to research “During the first months (March to July, 2020) of the coronavirus pandemic, nation wide firearm purchasing increased substantially, which corresponded with the increased firearm injuries in U.S. during this period” with correlation to childhood trauma among other causes, there can be a noticeable correlation between guns and mental health/loneliness or depression.

Community aspects plays a role in this. Disadvantaged areas which include lower median income, lower education, increased homelessness, higher rates of poverty are found to host increased concentrations of drugs and crimes. Even though this does not directly correlate with gun violence, this plays a major role on the impact on youths and even adults in the area. A study showed "The annual rate of total firearm-related deaths among youth increased from 8.5 for every 100,000 residents in 2007 to 9.2 deaths per 100,000 in 2016." in combination with "62% of the more than 67,000 firearm-related deaths that occurred among youth between the ages of 5 and 24 from 2007 to 2016 occurred in counties where the percentage of residents who lived below the federal poverty level was 15% or greater." which continues to prove that community outlooks directly reflects crime within an area, and in turn caused greater amounts of crime (especially gun violence) when residents were forced to stay within disadvantaged zip codes.

Have you ever heard the term, you are who you surround yourself with? This term positively correlates  with how gun violence or crime in general becomes rationalized within disadvantaged communities, especially when generations of youth feel like there is no other road to take or no other path to success.

Recognizing these problems may only be the first step of many, but there is an abundance of possible next steps to gun safety in America. Increasing gun knowledge and awareness could be one. With youth being able to access weapons, knowledge on weapons can help reduce accidental gun crimes.

 

Noticing the correlation between mental health and gun violence, increased quality in community services may prove helpful. But also increasing and aiding disadvantaged communities could also be beneficial. Reviewing previously written work, we can see that through Covid-19, youth and adults who may live in disadvantaged areas with increased likelihoods of crime and such, will only increase tension and violence. Working towards fixing America’s tarnished neighborhoods would prove vital in creating equal fields for all and help reduce crime overall. Not only that but increased community programs for youth especially within these zip codes may help to show youths different paths and may in turn help reduce crime and gun violence.