Abstract
The adoption of stricter gun control laws can be useful for reducing the risk of shootings in various educational organizations. In particular, this policy can prevent students from taking firearms without proper authorization. Additionally, this approach can ensure that a person with firearms cannot enter schools or colleges. It should be mentioned that this approach proved to be effective for limiting the occurrence of such incidents in various countries. These are the main details that should be examined more closely.
Gun Control and School Shootings
The increasing frequency of school shootings has become a cause of great concern for many policy-makers, teachers, and parents who want to make sure that the life and health of learners is not endangered. Such events normally attract close attention of mass media. Various legislators suggest that stricter gun control laws should be enacted. Overall, it is possible to say that this initiative should be supported since one should develop and enforce safety procedures that can minimize the risks to which students can be exposed.
Additionally, one should motivate people to act in a more responsible way while using or storing firearms. Yet, they are not supposed to ban the use of firearms since these tools can be vital for protecting the life and health of an individual. This is one of the limitations that should not be overlooked. On the whole, it is possible to say that this policy will prevent people from bringing firearms into educational organizations and harming students or teachers. This is the main argument that should be elaborated in greater detail.
At first, it is necessary to mention that in many cases, school shootings could have been averted provided that there had been proper regulations regarding the storage of firearms. Many of the shooters were students who took firearms owned by their parents (Neal, 2009, p. 165). For example, one can mention tragic events that took place in Red Lake Senior High School.
Additionally, the findings of scholars indicate that a significant proportion of shootings can occur due to the failure of parents to take safety precautions (Doll, Haas, Bonzo, Sleet, & Mercy, 2007, p. 317). Therefore, it is necessary to develop strict regulations for the storage of these weapons (Doll et al., 2007, p. 317). Furthermore, one can speak about criminal liability for the failure to store firearms in a safe manner.
The key problem is that parents do not always comply with the necessary safety procedures (Doll et al., 2007, p. 317). This incentive can be useful for motivating these individuals to act in a more responsible way. Overall, these people can play a critical role in protecting the health and life of many students. This is one of the main benefits that should be taken into account by policy-makers who want to protect the lives of students.
Additionally, one can argue that those countries, which have implemented stricter gun control rules, are less exposed to the risk of shootings in educational institutions (Boecker, Seeger, Sitzer, & Heitmeyer, 2012, p. 96). It is important to remember that policy-makers have not eliminated the problem of school violence. Nevertheless, such incidents do not involve the use of firearms. For example, one can speak about knives, hammers, or box cutters (Boecker et al., 2012, p. 96).
Such weapons are less dangerous, especially in comparison with firearms. So, it is easier to render violent people harmless. Therefore, strict gun control regulations can be a useful precaution. In particular, it is possible to raise the minimum age at which a person can purchase firearms. Similarly, the state can impose stricter punishment for illegal distribution of firearms. These are some of the issues that can be singled out since they indicate that gun control can increase the safety of many schools as well as colleges.
Apart from that, stricter gun control laws can be beneficial because they can prevent a person with fire arms from entering the territory of a school or a college. It should be kept in mind that gun shooters were able to enter the territory of educational organizations without facing any resistance.
In turn, legislators can require educational institutions to use technologies and procedures that can be useful for identifying the threats posed by potential shooters. For example, they can apply metal detectors on a regular basis. This safeguard might have saved many students who were shot within schools or colleges. This is why this element of gun control should be taken into consideration by legislators and school administrators.
Overall, these examples indicate that effective gun control laws can be helpful for minimizing the risk of school shootings that can take the lives of many students. Admittedly, this policy should not be the only precaution against such events. Much attention should also be paid to the identification of those individuals who may commit such acts of violence.
Furthermore, one should understand why a person may decide to kill other people. Nevertheless, this strategy can be beneficial for minimizing the accessibility of firearms. These regulations do not deny a person’s right to bear firearms since this right is critical for a person’s self-defense. These are the main details that can be singled out.
Reference List
Boecker, N., Seeger, T., Sitzer, P., & Heitmeyer, W. (2012). School Shootings: International Research, Case Studies, and Concepts for Prevention. New York, NY: Springer Science & Business Media.
Doll, L., Haas, E., Bonzo, S., Sleet, S. & Mercy. J. (2007). Handbook of Injury and Violence Prevention. New York, NY: Springer Science & Business Media.
Neal, A. (2009). National Trauma and Collective Memory: Extraordinary Events in the American Experience. New York, NY: M.E. Sharpe.