Introduction
Crime has become one of the significant issues in the modern world. For instance, the United States has experienced various cases of gun violence in many states. Moreover, people have lost their lives due to gunshots, including mass shootings in educational institutions. Watertown, New York, has also experienced gun violence, with many individuals claiming that they have witnessed shootings in the area. Although the criminal justice system has implemented policies to curb gun violence, armed criminals are still harassing the members of the community. Moreover, state police ensure that they conduct stop and frisk to limit the smuggling of guns in the community. Thus, one can argue that gun control is an issue in Watertown, NY, Jefferson County.
Robbery with Violence
One of the reasons I argue that gun control is a significant issue in Watertown is the increased cases of robbery with violence. Many people have been robbed at gunpoint, with others losing their lives during the theft. Authorities in the area have claimed that people have been shot and robbed of their goods and money. For instance, the state police confirmed that two people were shot dead in Watertown inside BridgeView Real Estate by armed robbers. Police were also informed that an armed person was spotted in the area, and businesses had been forced to close due to the fear of being robbed by the suspect (7News). Samaritan Health System ensured that it increased its security in all Watertown facilities due to increased robbery with violence in the area.
People have also been robbed of in their homes in various parts of the community. The Watertown Police Department has recorded cases of individuals who claim that armed robbers broke into their homes and stole properties worth thousands of dollars. Moreover, some people have been harassed by raiders in their homes during the theft. Robbery with violence has also forced investors to relocate to other areas due to the fear of experiencing losses and being harmed by the robbers. Thus, robbery with violence is another significant issue in Watertown.
Murder Cases
Murder cases in Watertown have been reported in the region whereby many people have been shot. For instance, a young mother was shot by her fiancé. Police argued that the husband had served for two years in Afghanistan and used his weapons to kill his wife. A police officer was also shot after arriving at the scene where the woman had been killed (CT). The officer was shot when exiting and walking toward the driveway. Another woman was also shot and injured at the scene, which shows that murder cases have impacted many people in the community. Murder cases have also been experienced in the streets due to the increased number of people with illegal firearms. People have accessed firearms in the community and are harassing residents, with some killing innocent civilians.
Increased cases of murder have led to people living in fear, with some relocating to other areas. A man who shot and killed his girlfriend’s teenage son and daughter was reported by Watertown authorities (Gendreau and Johnson). Watertown Police Department has ensured that more officers are deployed in different regions due to murder cases. Nonetheless, the number of criminals is increasing in the area due to easy access of firearms which has made it hard for police officers to curb the murder cases.
Street Gangs
Easy access to guns has also led to an increased number of young people joining street gangs in the community. Youth are engaging in gun violence as they can acquire weapons with ease in the community. Young people are dropping out of school to join gangs as they can rob people using firearms. Additionally, these gangs engage in drug trafficking and drug abuse. Thus, they use their guns to rob people and get money to purchase their drugs. Moreover, the weapons are used for protection when trafficking drugs and other illegal goods. There are many clashes involving street gangs where they fight for dominance in the regions. Consequently, shootings between the gangs are primarily experienced in the community. Police have also issued a strict warning to the gangs who terrorize people in the community and the shootings between the criminals (Rosenfeld et al. 936). Nonetheless, many young adults are joining the groups despite being cautioned by the authorities. Thus, increased numbers of street gangs due to the presence of gangs are another significant aspect that one can analyze when focusing on gun control in Watertown.
Gun Smuggling and Drug Trafficking
Gun smuggling has been a significant threat in the United States for decades. Many strategies to curb the smuggling of firearms in various states have been developed. For instance, strict measures have been introduced in New York to guarantee that illegal sales of weapons is limited (Lisa). However, cases of people who sell firearms illegally have been recorded in Watertown. Criminals in the area are using arms to murder and rob the residents. Thus gun smuggling in Watertown is a significant issue that has primarily affected the community.
Kidnapping
Kidnapping is also an issue that has been steered by many people with illegal firearms in the community. Police have received cases of people who have been abducted by armed criminals. For example, authorities arrested a Watertown man for kidnapping a teenager18 years. Such incidents have also been experienced whereby adults have been abducted and harassed by armed individuals. Kidnappings have led to parents being cautious and warning their children to be careful when interacting with strangers in the community. Hence, one can argue that gun control should be exercised in the community to guarantee the safety of residents.
A Solution for Gun Control Issues
The criminal justice system should ensure that more policies are introduced to prevent easy access to firearms in the states. Moreover, the Watertown Police Department should encourage residents to report any individual who possesses firearms illegally. Young people can also be educated about the dangers of engaging in criminal activities. Moreover, street gangs and murder cases have increased due to illegal weapons in the community. Deploying more officers in the community to prevent robbery with violence and kidnapping should also be encouraged. Therefore, these approaches can be of great significance in limiting illegal firearms in the community.
Conclusion
To sum up, Watertown has experienced many cases of shootings and robbery with violence. Police in the area have reported that people possessing guns illegally are engaging in various unlawful activities to kill and injure innocent civilians. Therefore, ways to control the possession of firearms should be implemented. For instance, individuals should be encouraged to avoid engaging in unlawful activities. Stop and frisk exercises can also be another approach that can be applied to limit illegal firearms in the community. Therefore, gun control is a significant problem in Watertown and should be addressed by all means possible.
Works Cited
7News. “2 Shot to Death in Watertown, Armed and Dangerous Suspect Dies in Franklin County.” 2021.
CT. “Mother of Teens Killed in Apparent Murder-Suicide in Watertown Arrested.” 2021.
Gendreau, LeAnne, and Kristen Johnson. “Teens Killed in Apparent Murder-Suicide in Watertown after Argument about Smoking: Police.” Watertown Daily Times, 2019.
Kate Lisa. Johnson Newspaper Corp., ‘Jobs Program an Effort to Curb Violence Initiative will Offer Employment to at-risk Youth’, Watertown Daily Times (online), 2021. Web.
Rosenfeld, Richard, and Robert Fornango. “The Relationship Between Crime and Stop, Question, and Frisk Rates in New York City Neighborhoods.” Justice Quarterly vol.34, no. 6. 2017, pp. 931-951.