SOCIETYS NEED FOR THE REGISTRATION OF HANDGUNS :: essays research papers

Society’s Need for the Registration of Handguns   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Guns are an instrument that even the most careful of people could do harm with. Gun owners should go to firearm safety classes so they will be educated on proper handling and storage of the gun. While this should only be voluntary, something should be done to insure that guns are only sold to people who have a safe background and are of age. Congress should mandate the registration of handguns in order to keep criminals from possessing guns, to cut back on violence in the home, and to avoid accidental or intentional violence among children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Federal Government today is putting forth much effort in order to control the purchase and registration of handguns. In 1993, Congress approved the Brady Bill that requires a mandatory five-day waiting period when buying a gun. The recent school shootings have pushed Congress to pass a bill requiring approximately 80% of handguns to be produced with child safety locks. The ultimate goal of the government is to ban the sale of firearms to the public. By starting out small, and having big goals, later generations will enjoy peaceful lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today’s world, guns used in the home for protection purposes are becoming more of a danger than an object of security. They have taken over the interest of everyone who thinks they are in danger. Even with the protection of a handgun, statistics show that crimes are still being committed. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics â€Å"an average of only about 65,000 defensive uses of guns each year compared to the more than 800,000 crimes committed with guns† (Mcdowell 1982-84). Guns are a danger in the household if marital disputes and domestic violence are present. If a gun is a readily available object then the chances of it being used to let out anger and frustration instead of self-protection is great. Mercy Saltzman reports that â€Å"having a gun in the home also increases the risk that incidents of domestic violence will result in homicide.† He goes on to point out â€Å"family and intimate assaults involving firearms are twelve times more likely to result in death than non-firearm related assaults† (Saltzman 3043-47). In lieu of these statements, one can see the present danger in keeping a firearm in a household.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another reason to mandate the registration of handguns is because guns and criminals are not a healthy combination.