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Gun crime is a major issue of concern in the US. The Second Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees US citizens the right to keep and bear arms.

Social Issue – Gun crime in the USA

In 2023, over 40,000 people had been killed in gun violence in the USA. Of those who died, 1,306 were teenagers and 276 were children. 46 police officers were also fatally shot. Altogether, there were more than 655 mass shooting in the USA. Not all gun deaths in 2023 were homicides or murders. Just over half of the 40,000 deaths were suicides.

The USA has the highest rate of homicide in the developed world. Using statistics from 2021, 80.5% of all homicides in America arose from the use of firearms. This compares with only 4% of murders in the UK which were from firearms.

Since 2014, the USA has seen more than 39,000 gun deaths every year. Some of the those gun deaths come from horrific mass shootings. Some of the worst mass shootings in recent years include:

• Perry High School, Iowa, Jan 2024 – 6 killed
• Lewiston (bowling alley/restaurant), Maine, 2023 – 18 killed
• Robb Elementary School, Uvalde, Texas, 2022 – 21 killed
• El Paso (Walmart), Texas, 2019 – 23 killed
• Parkland (Marjory Stoneman Douglas High), Florida, 2018 – 17 killed
• Las Vegas (Music festival), 2017 – 58 killed
• Orlando (Pulse Nightclub), 2016 – 49 killed

How many Americans own guns?

In 2023, it was estimated that around 42% of American households owned a gun. This figure has remained steady for several years. White Americans are the racial group most likely to have a gun in their household at 49%. The figure for black Americans is 34%, for Hispanic Americans is 28% and Asian Americans is 18%.

Of those Americans who own a gun, most say their main reason for ownership is for personal protection (72%) although some Americans also own a gun for hunting or for sport shooting.

Who supports gun control?

Most Americans (61%) believe that it is too easy to legally obtain a gun. 58% also think that there should be stricter gun laws in the US. Women, Black Americans, those with greater education and younger aged Americans are the groups most likely to favour stricter gun laws. Those who support the Democratic Party are more likely to support stricter gun laws than those who support the Republican Party.

There are many US interest or pressure group which campaign for stricter gun laws. One of the most well-known is the Brady Campaign which was founded in 1974.

Who opposes gun control?

The National Rifle Association (NRA) campaigns against all forms of gun control in the US and argues that more guns make the country safer. It is among the most powerful special interest lobby groups in the US, with a substantial budget to influence members of Congress on gun policy.

Around one in five US gun owners say they are members of the NRA - and it has especially widespread support from Republican leaning gun owners.

Approaches to gun control

There have been numerous attempts to introduce stricter gun laws in response to mass shootings but these have not always succeeded. Fierce resistance from the pro-gun lobby in the courts has often made passing stricter gun laws near impossible. However, 10 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws which ban the sale of military-style assault weapons of the type used in several of the worst mass shootings in US history.

New gun safety laws also came into force on 1 January 2024 in some US states such as California, Illinois and Colorado. These laws, sometimes referred to as “red flag” laws, include a bans on carrying concealed guns in certain places, restrictions on the sale of semiautomatic assault weapons, increasing the waiting time for someone to be able to purchase a gun or a requirement for those buying guns to have taken safety training.

Presidential action on gun control

President Obama

In 2016, President Obama announced a series of executive actions aimed at reducing gun violence. These included tougher restrictions on gun purchases, such as:

• ensuring all firearm sellers are licensed
• enforced background checks

President Obama struggled to get any new gun control laws onto the statute books, because of Republican opposition.

In early 2017, the US Senate blocked a regulation which proposed tightened gun checks on buyers suffering from mental illness.

President Trump

After the Parkland, Florida shooting in February 2018, President Trump:

• called for the age limit on purchasing rifles to be raised
• backed legislation from 2013 to introduce widespread background checks on purchases

Following opposition from the NRA, President Trump switched to supporting the NRA’s suggestion of arming teachers and making small improvements to the background check system.

President Biden

President Biden has repeatedly stated the need for the US to reduce gun violence throughout his presidency. In June 2011, he announced a five-point plan which includes:

• cracking down on gun sellers who violate federal laws, with a zero-tolerance policy
• giving additional support to local law enforcement to help with crime increases
• investing in community violence intervention programs
• expanding summer employment and services, particularly for teens and young adults
• helping previously incarcerated individuals successfully re-enter their communities

In 2021, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act became law. This law included a requirement to increase the use of background checks on those purchasing guns under the age of 21 years. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was the first federal government gun control legislation passed in 30 years.

In 2023, Biden also set up the White House Office of Gun Violence Protection which was to be led by Vice President Kamala Harris. The aim of the new office is to end the US’s gun violence problem.