Gun violence in America is an urgent, nagging problem, which requires proof-based, innovative solutions. It is a serious national problem leading to more than 30,000 deaths and 78,000 non-fatal injuries every year [See Alpers and Wilson]. Although the rate of gun homicides in the United States of America has declined in recent years, U.S. rates remain substantially higher than those of almost every other nation in the world and are at least seven times higher than those of Australia, Canada, and so on. Psychology can make important contributions to policies that prevent gun violence by sharing research-based conclusions and recommendations with the wider public.
Although the rate of gun homicide in the U.S. has declined in recent years, groups of psychologists have been contributing to state policy discussions by sharing research-based conclusions and recommendations with the public. The aim is to explore possible findings of psychology research on gun violence prevention in state policy discussions. They plan to address key questions that can be answered using a range of scientific methodologies as well as evidence from other fields (e.g., sociology). It would be interesting to learn how psychologists can make important contributions to policies that prevent gun violence across different age groups (juveniles, adolescents, adults); in different demographic groups (gender, race-ethnicity, poverty), and in different locations (urban, rural, suburban).
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Research in the areas of delinquency and violence prevention, suicide prevention, aggression and violence, and the psychology of gun use can provide evidence for policy discussions about gun laws. For example, research on the psychology of guns could inform policies that seek to reduce availability as well as certain kinds of weapons such as assault weapons. In addition to questions about how best to prevent gun violence, laws will also need to be discussed, that affect psychological outcomes after an act of gun violence has occurred. This research on the short-term and long-term effects of trauma resulting from mass shootings, can inform policymakers of the treatment of victims, their families, and their communities. and geographic areas [urban vs. and Sweden (see Alpers & Wilson, 2013)] Psychology can make important additions to policies that prevent gun violence by sharing research-based, deductions, and recommendations (and identifying research gaps) with the wider public. (gaps, such as knowledge) on how to reduce the incidence of gun violence whether caused by homicide, suicide, or mass shootings nationwide. The authors of this article plan to contribute to state policy discussion by sharing research-based conclusions and recommendations with the broader public. The aim again, is to explore possible contributions of psychology research on gun violence prevention to state policy discussions with a view to bringing gun violence in America to the barest minimum possible.
Gun control advocates frequently cite the comparatively higher amount of homicides committed with firearms as a reason to help stricter gun regulation laws. [Kassirer, Saint P] Firearm laws are the topic of debate in the USA, with firearms used for recreational purposes, as well as for individual security. [National Investigation Council] Gun rights proponents acknowledge the usage of firearms for self-protection, and to discourage violent crime, as an understanding of why more guns will lessen crime. Gun rights proponents also have felons are those least expected to obey firearms laws, and therefore restricting access to guns by law-abiding people makes them more susceptible to militarized criminals. [McDowall, King, Brian Wiersema]
In a continuous bid from different quarters (facets of society) to end the killing sprees of gun violence across America, The New York Times wrote an interesting piece in their editorial, titled 'End the Gun Epidemic in America' [The New York Times, December 5, 2015]. In this article, one of the area focus is directed, is about how countries like France, and Norway have strict gun laws, while America does not, and that even though determined criminals are still able to illegally obtain weapons from these same countries with strict gun regulations, the fact remains that, they are at least making efforts at instilling gun control in their various countries, while on the other hand, certain unscrupulous politicians in the American Government are aiding and abetting spree killings all over the country by making flimsy Pro-gun policies which encourage legal gun markets, where citizens end up owning highly sophisticated combat class firearms. This is so appalling and should never be allowed to happen, especially in a country such as America, where voters should be voting out of power, the likes of such callous politicians who keep encouraging gun policies, which continue arming the so-called would-be potential killers (citizens) and seasoned killers alike.
The Big Question: How do we prevent, curb, or even totally eradicate, Gun violence in America?
Well, one unique technique psychological researchers have come up with is; PREDICTION, PREVENTION & POLICY
Precursory circumstances to Gun violence: developmental issues
A complex and variable collection of risk and protective factors makes persons more or less likely to use a rearm against themselves or others. For this reason, there is no single prole that can reliably predict who will use a gun in a violent act. Instead, gun violence is associated with a confluence of individual, family, school, peer, community, and sociocultural risk factors that interact over time during childhood and adolescence. Although many youths desist in aggressive and antisocial behavior during late adolescence, others are disproportionately at risk for becoming involved in or otherwise affected by gun violence. The most consistent and powerful predictor of future violence is a history of violent behavior. Prevention efforts guided by research on developmental risk can reduce the likelihood that rearms will be introduced into community and family conflicts or criminal activity. Prevention efforts can also reduce the relatively rare occasions when severe mental illness contributes to homicide or the more common circumstances when depression or other mental illness contributes to suicide. Reducing incidents of gun violence arising from criminal misconduct or suicide is an important goal of broader primary and secondary prevention and intervention strategies. Such strategies must also attend to redirecting developmental antecedents and larger sociocultural processes that contribute to gun violence and gun-related deaths.
Precursors to Gun Violence: Gender and Culture
Any account of gun violence in the United States must be able to explain both why males are perpetrators of the vast majority of gun violence and why the vast majority of males never perpetrate gun violence. Preliminary evidence suggests that changing perceptions among males of social norms about behaviors and characteristics associated with masculinity may reduce the prevalence of intimate partner and sexual violence. Such interventions need to be further tested for their potential to reduce gun violence. The skills and knowledge of psychologists are needed to develop and evaluate programs and settings in schools, workplaces, prisons, neighborhoods, clinics, and other relevant contexts that aim to change gendered expectations for males that emphasize self-sufficiency, toughness, and violence, including gun violence.
What solution can be applied: Gun violence Prediction and Prevention at the individual Level
Although it is important to recognize that most people suffering from a mental illness are not dangerous, for those persons at risk for violence due to mental illness, suicidal thoughts, or feelings of desperation, mental health treatment can often avoid gun violence. Policies and programs that identify and provide treatment for all persons suffering from mental illness should be a national priority. Urgent attention must be paid to the current level of access to mental health services in the United States; such access is woefully insufficient. Additionally, it should be noted that behavioral threat assessment is becoming a standard of care for preventing violence in schools, colleges, and the workplace and against government and other public officials. Threat assessment teams gather and analyze information to assess if a person poses a threat of violence or self-harm, and if so, take steps to intervene.
Working solution: Gun Violence Prevention at the Community Level
Prevention of violence occurs along a continuum that begins in early childhood with programs to help parents raise emotionally healthy children and ends with efforts to identify and intervene with troubled individuals who are threatening violence. The mental health community must take the lead in advocating for community-based collaborative problem-solving models to address the prevention of gun violence. Such models should affect prevention strategies in an effort to overcome the tendency within many community service systems to operate in silos. There has been some success with community-based programs involving police training in crisis intervention and with community members trained in mental health first aid. These programs need further piloting and study so they can be expanded to additional communities as appropriate. In addition, public health messaging campaigns on safe gun storage are needed. The practice of keeping all rearms appropriately stored and locked must become the only socially acceptable norm.
Policies to reduce Gun violence
The use of a gun greatly increases the odds that violence will lead to a fatality: This problem calls for urgent action. Firearm prohibitions for high-risk groups domestic violence offenders, persons convicted of violent misdemeanor crimes, and individuals with mental illness who have been adjudicated as being a threat to themselves or to others have been shown to reduce violence. The licensing of handgun purchasers, background check requirements for all gun sales, and close oversight of retail gun sellers can reduce the diversion of guns to criminals. Reducing the incidence of gun violence will require interventions through multiple systems, including legal, public health, public safety, community, and health. Increasing the availability of data and funding will help inform and evaluate policies designed to reduce gun violence.
In light of the above information, one can see the obvious role psychology plays in the prediction, prevention, and Policing of gun violence in America. I strongly believe any country in the world can adopt these same methodologies in mitigating gun violence.
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