Working to Prevent Gun Violence in the United States: The Role of Policy and Advocacy
Start Date
April 2020
End Date
April 2020
Major Field of Study
Global Public Health
Second Major
Political Science
Student Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor(s)
Patti Culross, MD, MPH and Alison Howard, MA
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
There are several laws in place regarding the legal purchase and possession of firearms in the United States (Giffords Law Center, 2020). There are also laws regarding the prohibited purchase and possession of firearms (Giffords Law Center, 2020). Yet, prohibited persons purchase and possess firearms regularly (Giffords Law Center, 2020). This happens because there are loopholes in the law (Brady United, 2020). For example, federal law requires background checks for gun purchases from licensed firearm dealers, but not at gun shows where sellers may not be licensed. This means that a felon (prohibited purchaser and possessor) buying a gun from a gun show that doesn’t require a background check is a loophole in the background check law. The felon gets the gun despite the prohibition because there is no background check required in this setting. (Giffords Law Center, 2020). The consequences to these loopholes are that prohibited persons have access to firearms. Many times, these guns are used in crimes (Giffords Law Center, 2020).
This study will analyze how prohibited persons obtain firearms and research effective policies to prevent the prohibited purchase and possession of firearms in the United States, to gain insight on strategies to reduce gun violence in America.
The study will examine both policy and advocacy strategies through interviews with individuals involved with proposing and writing laws as well as those looking to build political will for effect. This thesis asks the following research question: what policy strategies are effective in preventing the prohibited purchase and possession of firearms?
Working to Prevent Gun Violence in the United States: The Role of Policy and Advocacy
There are several laws in place regarding the legal purchase and possession of firearms in the United States (Giffords Law Center, 2020). There are also laws regarding the prohibited purchase and possession of firearms (Giffords Law Center, 2020). Yet, prohibited persons purchase and possess firearms regularly (Giffords Law Center, 2020). This happens because there are loopholes in the law (Brady United, 2020). For example, federal law requires background checks for gun purchases from licensed firearm dealers, but not at gun shows where sellers may not be licensed. This means that a felon (prohibited purchaser and possessor) buying a gun from a gun show that doesn’t require a background check is a loophole in the background check law. The felon gets the gun despite the prohibition because there is no background check required in this setting. (Giffords Law Center, 2020). The consequences to these loopholes are that prohibited persons have access to firearms. Many times, these guns are used in crimes (Giffords Law Center, 2020).
This study will analyze how prohibited persons obtain firearms and research effective policies to prevent the prohibited purchase and possession of firearms in the United States, to gain insight on strategies to reduce gun violence in America.
The study will examine both policy and advocacy strategies through interviews with individuals involved with proposing and writing laws as well as those looking to build political will for effect. This thesis asks the following research question: what policy strategies are effective in preventing the prohibited purchase and possession of firearms?
Comments
This presentation was accepted for the Scholarly and Creative Works Conference at Dominican University of California. The Conference was canceled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic