The Battle for Gun Control

By Jessica Kennon

“Guns Under Fire”

Reducing gun violenceHow we can lower gun violence without abusing our 2nd amendment rights:• Increase background

checks

• Make straw man purchases a felony offense

• Approve the National School Shield Report commissioned by the NRA Proposal

Increase background checks2007 congress passed the

NICS Improvement Amendments Act which created incentives for states to improve reporting mental health information to background check systems.

Many states were unable to progress with the reporting because of the lack of funding, granting only 5.3% of the total authorized amount from the fiscal year 2009 to fiscal year 2011

Fiscal Year 2009- Fy 2011 NICS Funding

Fiscal Year Authorized Amount

Actual Appropriations

FY 2009 $187.5 million $10 million (5.3%)

FY 2010 $375 million $20 million (5.3%)

FY 2011 $375 million $20 million (5.3%)

Straw man purchases

• If approved by the House, those so-called “straw man” purchases would increase from a Class 5 felony to a Class 4 felony, punishable by a mandatory minimum of one year in prison.

• The goal is to reduce the number of illegally obtained firearms that someone may use to commit crimes, including against a school

• Host possible safety measures• Internal door security• Perimeter fencingMain recommendation: Armed personnel should be posted in all schools. • Local police trained to work in schools,

arm teachers or administrators designated by school boards or superintendents

• Staff members should receive 40 to 60 hours of weapon instruction and other training.

The National School Shield Report

Toughest gun laws• Illinois gun laws do not

issue conceal carry licenses, nor does it recognize licenses issued by other states.

• Open carry is prohibited in most areas.

• To legally possess firearms or ammunition, Illinois residents must have an (FOID) card issued by state police.

• Automatic firearms, short-barreled shotguns and silencers are prohibited.

REDUCE THE RESPONSE TIME

1997 Pearl, Mississippi –mass murder avoided

Virginia Tech Massacre—April 16, 2007 could have been avoided

The Luby's massacre that took place on October 16, 1991 in Killeen, Texas could have been avoided

Rifles only=(2.55-2.75% of homicides) There were more strangulations than

firearms homicides Crime rates have lowered in states that

allow conceal carry licenses Only 0.007% of conceal carry licenses

have been revoked after a crime in Florida

What it all boils down to:

"A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." 

2nd AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

Davey, Monica. "Strict Gun Laws in Chicago Can't Stem Fatal Shots." 29 January 2013. The New York Times. Web. 3 April 2013.

Finn, Peter. "NRA -commissioned study supports having armed guards in schools." 2 April 2013. National Security. Web. 3 April 2013.

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luby's massacre." n.d. Wikipedia. Web. 3 April 2013.

MacBradaigh, Matt. "UNC School of Government." January 2013. Gun Control Facts: Existing Gun Laws Would Reduce Crime, But These Are Not Enforced. Web. 3 April 2013.

NRA. "Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot." Verse. 1. n.d. KnobCreekShoot.com. 3 April 2013. <http://www.knobcreekshoot.com/FirearmsFacts.htm>.

Simpson, Ian. "NRA Releases Armed 'Shield' Proposal for Schools." 2 April 2013. The Fiscal Times-Policy + Politics. Web. 3 April 2013.

Resources