Gun Control – Outreach vs Legislation
Files
Date
2018
Authors
Hart, Frank
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT)
Abstract
Description
This study compared the effectiveness of community outreach programs combined with community education to the effects of strict gun control legislation in the reduction of violent crime. The reduction of violent crime in society is an important topic in any civilized society and is a necessary function of any community. A community outreach program in conjunction with targeting areas with a high violent crime outbreak can be a far greater tool in the reduction of violent crime than additional or over restrictive gun legislation. In contrast, the implementation of emotion-based legislation that targets gun ownership tends to create a spike in violent crime (Agresti & Smith, 2016). The research used in this study indicates that there is a distinct and measurable reduction of violent crime in areas where well designed and strictly applied community outreach programs are implemented (Steihm, Nadeau, & Johnson, 2015). Violent criminal acts have influenced societies throughout history and it is likely that this will continue into the foreseeable future. It is imperative that communities take the most historically effective and reasonable approach to the reduction of violent crime which includes gun violence. This research exposes several community outreach programs that when implemented correctly, drastically improved the violent crime rate for the targeted area. The research also highlights several gun control measures that failed to reduce violent crime.
Keywords
Gun control, Firearms -- laws and legislation