Should a Concealed Weapons License Be Allowed in the U.S.
As citizens of the United States, we have the option if deemed necessary to possess a weapon and use it for self-defense. The Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution, second amendment states that we have the right to bear and keep arms. Because often high crime rate in some areas may be a reason why a citizen may choose to carry a concealed weapon. Crime is something that looks like it will be an unending situation that is not even close to going away. Possessing a weapon as a use for self-defense will help to protect a citizen when one needs to defend themselves. Others of us feel that firearms play an important role in our lives both from the standpoint of sporting and hunting as well as their application to principles f self-defense particularly when patients represent a high risk population” (Dante, 1996). One may agree that having a concealed weapon would decrease the crime rate but the question is, does it really make a difference? Criminals have a choice about committing a crime or not. “Many believe that restricting access to firearms would result in a decrease in crime, especially violent crime.
Others believe that restricting access to guns would have little to no effect on crime rates and would only trample the rights of US citizens to possess guns” (Gigs, 2009). Owning a gun is seed primarily for self-defense against a criminal and not to mention animals that are out of control. We Just need to keep in mind that a weapon is not a toy and that there are consequences to pay if not used correctly. Each individual state has its own laws on carrying a concealed weapon. Depending on which state that a citizen is a resident of is where it is based on whether a citizen can carry a concealed weapon permit.
The different permits for carrying concealed weapons among states are shall-issue, may-issue, and right denied. Something to be aware about a concealed weapon permit is not all state permits are honored in another state. For example, if one were to get a concealed weapons permit in California the permit will not be honored in Nevada. There are some advantages and disadvantages when it comes to being allowed to carry a concealed weapon and reasons why some of these laws may or may not be so lenient. Some states like Texas and Florida are liberalizing the laws for carrying a concealed weapon. Some states are tightening or toughening up the laws concerning obtaining a concealed weapon. These include Massachusetts and New York” (Dante, 1996). All citizens should have the right to carry within limitations. Is it true that there is a relationship between right to carry individuals and increase in violent crime? In Citizen defend thyself,: it states that the relationship between right to carry and high crime rates are actually lowered (Hood, 2009).
GAO reports that as of March 2012, the right to carry law is currently allowed in all states, except Illinois. The laws aiding these states allow right to carry laws, and the argument still is skeptical of the research behind the tolerance of this law. Despite the research that points to the conclusion that violence is variable, public suspicion points that violence increases with the ability of a citizen to carry concealed arms. However, according to GAO, the amount of individuals issued concealed weapons permit is 8 million citizens.
The United States census states the population of the United States currently as 314,441,706; the relationship displays that less than 3% of the overall population maintains a concealed weapons permit. The majority of the population does not carry a concealed weapon license. The relationship between the aspect of increased violent crime and right to carry does not seem substantiated u to such a low national ratio of concealed weapons license. In actuality, this will show that right carry laws provide a direct impact on preventing violent crimes than the assumption otherwise.
Individuals need to base their priority on obtaining a concealed weapon’s license on specific criteria. Each state varies on issuing a weapon’s permit, background checks must be completed, and the extent of the background check varies with the state. According to Hood, right to carry laws should be evaluated on an individual basis, based on the area he or she is in, consistency of ravel, and prior background. The amount of applications that are denied a concealed permit is under the complete discretion of the state.
Depending if the state has a may issue or shall-issue permit law, the discretion is normally used on the cause for the applicant. Hood explained that most applicants that apply for concealed weapon license is due to the fact of personal protection from a prior experience as a crime victim. A victim that has been directly affected by a violent crime may never feel safe without a concealed weapon at his or her side. A concealed weapon will be useful to he applicant if he or she has received threats or lives in a high crime area.
If the individual lives in a high area of crime, the relationship between fear of a crime and when a crime will be committed is Just reason for the citizen to be granted a permit. In California, “issuing authorities (local law enforcement) told us that an example of a good cause is a business owner who may regularly retain cash on-hand used to pay employees. “(GAO, 2012, p. 13) How frequently an individual travels with a concealed weapon is also a basis of Judgment to consider issuing permits.
If the individual’s behavior produces an unwillingness to leave a weapon at home instead of carrying it across state repeatedly, this might show that in reality the person is not concealing a weapon Just in the high rate of crime area. This basis will work more effectively in preventing the wrong hands in acquiring a concealed weapon license. Simple background checks in some states such as Colorado, allow us to rethink the policies to issue weapons to the general public. The necessity of right to carry and conceal on an individual basis will help avoid tragedies and catastrophe that shame our moral obligation to society’s welfare.
Right to carry laws does not interfere or cause violent crime in society. The presumption of citizens that carry a concealed weapon is the cause of society violent behavior need to be reevaluated based on research in high rate areas. The most important reason all citizens should have the right to carry arms based on an individual basis is because the passage of right to carry law actually lowers the incident of violent crime. Hood also explains that in New Orleans, the percentage of concealed weapons’ carriers and the relationship to high crime is lowered in the eyes off permit holder.
The use of a scientific survey to the general population in New Orleans shows most evidentially when questioned if their city was below the national crime average. In Hood’s survey, 33% of non-permit holders believed it was lower, while 38% of permit holders believed their city was below the national average. However, the fact remains that the effects of right to carry laws vary across time, geographic context, and by the type of crime. Citizens are the variable in each equation and if you isolate all violent crimes into one group it would not benefit the scientific research inhibited concealed weapons.
This relationship is caused by the type of crime, for instance an individual that was mugged will have a different experience if someone was sexually assaulted or raped. In Crime in economics and states, it explains that crime is subject also to the economic state of the country, not just type of crime. If a country economic state is poor, you would most likely see a reaction by an increase in theft. (Bessie, 1999) Obtaining a concealed license and the type of crime has to be evaluated and determined if the crime was avoided or it was cause of the crime.
Citizens that can carry a concealed weapon feel safer in high rime areas. The disadvantage of others that may be harmed due to the fact of a concealed weapon on person is the state of mind of the carrier. However, in light of concealed permit holders state of mind, this group feels the area around them is a much safer place than without a concealed weapon. The reality of Justifying good cause for a moral individual to be issued a concealed weapons permit will be a deterrent for violent crime to occur. Why is Japan considered to be the safest country?
In Japan the crime rate is not so high and Japanese citizens can leave a bicycle unlocked without worrying about someone stealing it. The Japanese Justice Ministry’s Research and Training Institute has, in its 1977 “White Paper on Crime,” compared domestic crime rates to those abroad and says that Japan is by far the safest industrialized nation in the world” (Douglas, 1977). Japan is known to be a safe place with less crime compared to the United States. Japan’s gun-related crime rate is only eleven deaths per year which is unbelievable when we look at the crime rate in the United States.
The only weapons that are allowed in Japan are air guns and shotguns. The process to get a gun is rather lengthy. Japanese law, however, tarts with the 1958 act stating that “No person shall possess a firearm or firearms or a sword or swords,” later adding a few exceptions. (Fisher, 2012). To acquire a gun, a Japanese citizen needs to go through a one day class and passing a written test, passing a shooting range class, mental fitness and drug testing by a medical check- up. The medical reports need to be filed with the police.
There is also a criminal background check that is required for the air gun or shotgun. Once all the requirements are met, you would need to provide all the necessary documentation on where the gun will be kept and locked in the house. The police are required to inspect the gun every year while re-taking a class and test every three years. The process is difficult and in my opinion would discourage a Japanese citizen from having a gun. Japanese citizens do not seem to have any issues about their gun laws.
The gun control and laws are stricter in Japan, forbidding sales and buying of handguns, small-caliber rifles, and toy guns. A Japanese citizen could be charged with holding a gun, possessing and shooting unlicensed bullets if they were to shoot a gun. Although Japanese citizens are limited to owning air guns and shot guns, enforcing a concealed weapons license may not be something that Japanese citizens would consider because their police force takes care of their Job in a manner that one would not require one to own a handgun. Japan enjoys one other benefit that may be related to the low crime rate, an efficient police force and a tradition of citizen cooperation, which help give the country the highest arrest rate, relative to crimes committed, of all advanced nations” (Fisher, 2012). In conclusion, the fact remains that the effect of right to carry law varies across time, geographic context, and by the type of crime. All citizens should have the right to carry arms within limitation for two main reasons. First, right to carry law should be evaluated on an individual basis based on area he or she in is, consistency of travel, and prior background.
But most importantly, the passage of the right to carry law lowers the incident of violent crimes. “As the respective examples of Luxembourg and Russia suggest, the kinds of people who murder will either find guns despite severe controls or will find other weapons with which to kill” (Amuser, 2006). The majority of people that apply for the concealed weapons licenses have been victims of crime. Owners of a concealed weapons license typically view their society a safer place. Plainsman (n. D. ) states “Robbery rates in right-to carry states were rising until the laws were passed and then fell continually after that point. Is there a “Robbery Effect If a person is unstable, then most likely they will not be able to complete the process to obtain a concealed carry license. It’s not the license that causes crime, but it’s the person’s mentality. According to “The First Decade Of The Tennessee Handgun Permit Law Shows Very Good Results By Legally Armed Citizens In Tennessee” (2004), “There are o incidents that can be found where in a defensive incident a Tennessee Handgun Permit Holder shot or wounded in some manner, any innocent person.
There are a number of defensive incidents where a Tennessee Handgun Permit Holder used his or her pistol to defend themselves or another party but, only the aggressor was harmed. ” (Self-Defense Incidents Also Reflect Good Results). Q). If a no concealed carry law passes then that’s only going to stop the law abiding citizens, not the criminals. Just because a person has a license to carry a concealed weapon, does not cause violent crime in society. Crime is created by the state of mind of the person with the weapon, not by the legality of owning a weapon.
