NCJ Number
156052
Editor(s)
D B Kopel
Date Published
1995
Length
475 pages
Annotation
Chapters by experts in law, criminology, medicine, psychiatry, and feminist studies argue that "gun control" is a "red herring" that has been deflecting attention from the true causes of crime, namely, the breakdown of the family, failed social welfare programs, and increasing hopelessness among male youths.
Abstract
Arguing from a feminist perspective, one chapter dispels the myth that guns are the tools of male oppression; rather, they can become an equalizer between men and women as more and more women arm themselves for self-protection. Another chapter argues that the Brady Bill will have virtually no impact on reducing the level of violent crime. Two African-American law professors provide a history of how gun control in the United States has been, and still is, often used to disarm law-abiding minorities. A chapter discusses why so-called "assault weapons," although they look menacing, are no more powerful than many other guns. The author argues that citizens not only have the right to have weapons sufficient for sporting activities but also those required to defend themselves from well-armed lone criminals and criminal governments. A chapter that examines the impact of guns on the public health of society reasons that the net effect of guns in society is a vast gain for public health, since firearms are used many times a year for legitimate defense. A discussion of "Children and Guns" addresses all facets of this issue, including gun accidents that involve unsupervised children, the presence of firearms at school, and the increase in juvenile armed crime rates. Chapter notes and a subject index