Response Discussion paper
Law and Ethics
Feedback requires a well-reasoned critique of the student’s analysis and thought processes. State whether the student provided adequate support for any assertions that they may have made. If you disagree, you must provide facts or a well-reasoned argument to support your dissenting opinion
Respond to Discussion #1(KK)
There are two particular time frames in which policy towards gun control has become a focus though the United States’ institutional agenda (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). The first time period that one could view the policy approach towards gun control was with the Columbine High School Shooting that took place on April 20, 1999 (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). The next time period in which policy approach toward gun control was salient occurred during the Virginia Tech Shooting that took place on April 16, 2007 (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). Due to the large gap of time that took place between these two historical events, there was a salient view of how policy towards gun control shifted. Close to the time of the Columbine Shooting, policy makers believed that the easy accessibility to guns was the cause of such a tragic event (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). Policies reflected fines and prison time for gun owners who failed to properly secure their weapons (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). As the gun access policy approach developed, there emerged individuals/groups that believed teachers and administrators of the schools should be allowed to carry concealed weapons (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). This new concealed gun advocacy argues that the research has shown the only implemented policy that has been successful in reducing deaths/injuries from school shooting is one that allows ‘law-abiding’ citizens the ability to carry concealed weapons (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). Another policy approach toward gun control is due to the media’s glorification of gun usage through tv shows, news casts, and cartoons (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). Those who follow this sort of media violence gun control policy advocate that the government regulate the control of the Internet, video games, television, and music (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). Following the media violence gun control policy is the Religious/Moral Values/Conspiracy policy. Supporters of this type of policy approach advocate that the violence has been an extension of the government’s liberal policies regarding prayer in schools, corporal punishment, and abortion (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). Next in line for the policy approach would be the idea that there is an individual responsibility for the school shootings (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). The advocates for this type of policy approach believe that the shooting were isolated events, or that the shooters were bad kids and that each shooter should be held individually responsible for their crimes (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). Additional to the individual responsibility approach to policy, mental health has been a suggested method for policy approach toward gun control. The advocates of the mental illness policy approach to gun control advocate the construction of a system that identify those who might be a danger to others as part of the gun purchasing process (Clemons &McBeth, 2009). The concluding approach to gun control policy is that of bad bureaucracy. This approach focuses on the failures of the government and law enforcement agencies in preventing mentally ill individuals from buying weapons, the steps that were taken to apprehend the shooter, and the failure of states to provide mental health records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) (Clemons &McBeth, 2009).
Personally, I believe a child’s/minor’s access to a gun is a factor that needs to be considered when formulating gun control policies. The results of a study by Webster and Starnes (2000) showed that when Florida state government implemented felony prosecution for improper storing of guns, the rate of deaths in minors from guns dramatically dropped by 51%. In addition to the effects of gun access, I believe that the media plays a small role in the outcome of violent behaviors. In a literature review surrounding the effect of violent media and the link to violent behavior, Felson (1996) concluded that the small effect that media has on violent behavior can be linked with a personality trait that would make individuals more prone to violence. In other words, a person who portrays violent or anti-social behaviors is more likely to increase their behaviors after viewing violent media. With this being said, I do not feel as though there is enough evidence between mental illness and the likelihood to commit violent acts to utilize mental health as a factor in considering weapon access. According to research by Rosenberg (2014) the connection between mental illness and violence can only be considered rare at an occurrence of 4-5% of violent acts. Additionally, when mentally ill people are violent they are most likely (87% of the time) to target family members or friends (Rosenberg, 2014). Given the above information, I did not feel as though there was enough reliable sources of information to draw conclusions on the policy approaches of religious/moral values or the individual responsibility approach.
Respond Discussion #2(RT)
There are different policy approaches to gun control in the United States. The policies are determined by whether benefits and costs are concentrated or diffused, and it determines how politics is played. The approaches to gun control in the United States conclude: 1.) Concealed Gun Advocacy. During the late 1990’s, others believe that the shootings could be prevented if teachers and administrators were allowed to carry concealed weapons (p.181). 2.) Media Violence. Multiple individuals and groups advocate government regulation and control of the internet, video games, television and music (p. 182). 3.) Religious and Moral Values and Conspiracy. Violence is seen as an outgrowth of the government’s own liberal values. A solution to this is governmental and societal return to what these individuals believe is fundamental Christian values (p.183). 4.) Isolated Events/Bad Kids/ Helplessness. Citizens argue that individual responsibility is the key and only public policy to consider is making sure that state put juvenile killers on trial as adults and that discipline in the school is returned (p. 185). 5.) Mental Health. The incident that happened at Virginia Tech brought about the discussion of the mental health policy. 6.) Bad bureaucracy, has to do with the real problem bring problems with bureaucracy.
In my opinion, I believe that these shootings happened because of the lack of gun control and security. The gun access is entirely too easy. If the government wasn’t so complacent on the gun laws then juvenile would not be able to gain easy access to guns thus, endangering our school kids. Also, gun owners need to secure their weapons so that their kids cannot gain access to them. If there were more security on campus, the situation could have been deescalated a lot faster.
Respond Discussion #3(AB)
Gun violence remains a significant concern among the public, policymakers, and researchers (Reich, Culross, & Behrman, 2002). Some say the gun is the problem, others say it is the media, the justice system, or video games. There is no single policy that will put an end to youth gun violence in America. There are many aspects to this one key issue. It is not just the gun, or just violent video games. The first response could be the decrease in a youth’s exposure to guns. If a parent or guardian leaves a loaded firearm easily accessible to a child, the chance for a tragic accident is plausible. Another response, is addressing the social norms in communities more apt to violence (Hardaway, Mcloyd, & Wood, 2012). In my opinion, gun manufacturers are not going to modify their very successful product to make it harder for a child to use it, so self-contained safety devices although innovative, are not practical. Most importantly though, it is up to parents to implement a plan to educate their child on the safe handling of a gun. I have been in law enforcement for the entire life of my two children. Both are girls, neither play violent video games, but they are educated in the proper conduct when near a firearm. While not my practice, I can leave a loaded gun accessible to them without a concern. They are 11 and 13. This is because for the past thirteen years, I have created an environment of education and safety.
