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Post by bazooka on Sept 17, 2022 20:57:06 GMT
Beyond gun control
Our analysis suggests that Americans who want to make mass shootings less frequent and less deadly may want to think beyond gun control legislation.
Statistically, mass shootings tend to occur in large, densely populated states with higher income and education levels per capita. While these states often respond to mass shootings by passing gun control legislation, it may be that alternative avenues are more successful.
For example, we find that increasing the number of police officers per capita decreases the number of mass shootings.
There is a wide variety of policy options designed to prevent mass shootings. The American Psychological Association suggests a comprehensive community approach that works to identify prevention strategies that bring public safety officials, schools, public health systems and faith-based groups together to reduce gun violence.
Aaron Stark, who says he was almost a mass shooter, explains that mass shootings can be an act of desperation resulting from frustration, stress and an individual’s perception that they lack power. This is in line with a new U.S. Secret Service report that suggests politicians may need to think beyond the accessibility of guns. Violence prevention strategies that focus on interpersonal and community relations may be more effective than gun control legislation.
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2022 21:02:32 GMT
Many policy options involve value judgments stemming from beliefs about the U.S. Constitution and the power of government to regulate guns.
Among people who think that restricting gun access reduces mass shootings, people disagree over whether the country should prioritize the individual freedoms of gun owners or the safety and peace of mind of non-gun owners. These differing views can reflect different interpretations of the extent to which the Constitution protects the rights of individuals to keep and bear arms.
States have a role to play, too. Federal gun policy covers the entire nation. But our data indicates that attention to state and local factors can play an important role in preventing mass shootings.
In the end, gun control remains a debate about facts and context, complicated by a disagreement over constitutional values.
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