The Long Road To Gun Control In America: State-Level Action

The Long Road to Gun Control in America: State-Level Action on Gun

Racial tension is set to embroil the USA this summer after two black men were shot dead by police in separate incidents followed by the killing of five police officers during a demonstration against police violence in Dallas, TX, on June 8. In response to these latest acts of gun violence, President Barack Obama said easy access to guns nationwide had exacerbated divisions between police and citizens. “We also know that when people are armed with powerful weapons, unfortunately it makes attacks like these more deadly and more tragic, and in the days ahead we’re going to have to consider those realities as well,” Obama said.

These recent killings follow the deadliest mass shooting in US history, in which a gunman pledging allegiance to ISIS shot dead 49 people at a nightclub in Orlando, FL, on June 12. Since the Orlando massacre, Democrats in Congress have promised to pressure Republicans to push through gun control reform. They staged a sit-in protest lasting almost 26 hours in the House of Representatives on June 23, but to no avail. Federal efforts have also failed in previous years despite rising anger at other mass shootings, such as the killing of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, in 2012. Some signs of progress The latest push might be revived in Congress this month.

But even if it fails, activists point to measures being passed by a growing number of states across the country. Gun control has also emerged as a key issue in the presidential bid of Hillary Clinton after previous Democratic candidates, including Barack Obama, steered clear during their campaigns. “We’ve never had a sit-in before and gun control is going to play a big part in November’s [presidential elections],” Mary Wooley, head of Research!America, which campaigns for greater medical research, told The Lancet. Along with the political progress at the state level, public health experts are heartened by a growing recognition of the importance of research into gun violence. But they say such research will not fill the gap left by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading federal public health agency.

Although it compiles data on gun injuries and deaths, it has not funded any major studies aimed at reducing harm from guns after Congress barred it in 1997 from any research that will “advocate or promote gun control” under pressure from the powerful pro-gun lobby the National Rifle Association. More than half of Americans (58%) support research into the causes and prevention of gun violence, according to a poll commissioned by Research!America and carried out before the Orlando shootings. “I think that number would be higher if people were asked today,” Wooley said. Other polls have shown that many Americans who support the right to bear arms also support restrictions such as background checks, assault weapon bans, and a federal database to track guns.

Meanwhile, some activists say speaking about gun “safety” rather than “control” helps to persuade more Americans of the need for new laws. Nine states have added or expanded background checks on their own, according to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Twenty states have strengthened gun laws related to domestic violence and at least 19 states, including Florida and Massachusetts, have passed laws aimed at improving databases used in background checks. “Since Sandy Hook in 2012, there have been 138 new gun laws in 42 states. This is unprecedented momentum at the state level,” Allison Anderman, staff attorney at the Law Center, told The Lancet.

“Support for background checks has had support of around 90% for many years. The question is when this will become a voting issue and when will the public vote out a legislator who votes against universal background checks even though a majority support it,” she added. Federal law requires licensed gun dealers to do background checks but not other individuals selling guns. Several states, such as Maine and Nevada, will hold ballot initiatives on this in November, she said. The battle at the state level has been compared to the push for marriage equality for same-sex couples that first gained traction with state victories.

“It is a fair comparison but preventing gun violence requires many hundreds of different laws,” said Anderman. Gun violence has been described as a “complex biopsychosocial disease.” Of the 90 deaths a day in the USA caused by gun violence, some two-thirds are suicides. “Everyday violence doesn’t make the headlines. As much as events such as Orlando elevate the epidemic of gun violence to the broader public, the process of social and legislative change is incremental,” Ted Alcorn, research director for Everytown for Gun Safety, a grassroots organisation seeking to end gun violence, told The Lancet.

To address the research gap, Everytown for Gun Safety has conducted studies into the causes of gun violence and developed evidence-based policies in courts. “But the CDC has the biggest collection of experts in the world and it should play a critical role,” Alcorn said. “The bar on funds being used to ‘advocate or promote gun control’ was extended to other agencies including the NIH in 2012,” explained Courtney Lenard, a CDC spokesperson. “The CDC curtailed its previous research not because it was legally prohibited but because in 1997, Congress cut the CDC’s budget by an amount equal to what had been spent on gun violence research,” she added.

“CDC’s Injury Centre has very limited discretionary funding to dedicate to firearm violence research and prevention. In order to pursue research into the causes and prevention of gun violence, the $10 million funding requested in the fiscal year 2017 president’s budget would be necessary,” she noted. During its June meeting, the American Medical Association (AMA) called gun violence a “public health crisis requiring a comprehensive response.” The AMA resolved to lobby Congress to overturn the legislation that has prohibited CDC gun violence research for 20 years. Daniel Webster of Johns Hopkins Centre for Gun Policy and Research, estimates that only 10 to 12 researchers in the US focus on the causes of violence. “The CDC, if it wanted, could use its existing appropriations to study youth and domestic violence and the role of guns in these murders,” he said.

He also recommended improving data collection methods, such as expanding the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, which currently collects data voluntarily without standardised methods. “We don’t know when someone is shot unless they die, or how many assaults involve guns unless they are reported,” Webster explained. California’s legislature voted on June 16 to establish the California Firearm Violence Research Center at the University of California with US$5 million in funds to fill “the gap left by Congressional restrictions,” said Senator Lois Wolk. “Real data and scientific methods can help policymakers find effective solutions,” she added, emphasizing the potential of research-driven policies.

Although the California centre is a considerable step, it does not replace the CDC’s wider capabilities, according to Julio Marcial of the California Wellness Foundation. California’s investment has contributed to a significant reduction in youth homicide rates, which are now among the lowest nationally, partly due to strict gun laws. The national decline in firearm deaths by about 49% since 1993 has been linked to various factors, including gun control measures, though direct causality remains complex. Research into the connection between legislation and firearm mortality rates is ongoing, with advocacy for evidence-based solutions gaining traction.

Another promising approach is hospital-based violence intervention programs, which engage victims of violence during recovery to prevent retaliation and future incidents. These programs, involving trauma surgeons and social workers, aim to break the cycle of violence by offering therapy, case management, and access to services. According to the program’s handbook, “The philosophy is that violence is preventable, and trauma centers can be critical points for intervention,” underscoring the potential for health sector involvement in violence reduction.

Paper For Above instruction

Gun violence in the United States remains a profound public health crisis characterized by tragic mass shootings, ongoing daily fatalities, and a complex web of legislative, social, and cultural factors. Despite mounting public concern, efforts to implement comprehensive gun control policies at the federal level have faced formidable obstacles, largely due to political opposition from powerful pro-gun lobbying groups such as the National Rifle Association (NRA). Consequently, much of the legislative progress has occurred at the state level, with more than 138 laws enacted across 42 states since 2012, reflecting a significant shift towards localized policy initiatives aimed at curbing gun violence.

The political landscape surrounding gun control is highly polarized, with Democratic candidates, notably Hillary Clinton in her 2016 presidential campaign, emphasizing gun violence prevention as a key issue. Public opinion polls reveal that a majority of Americans support research into the causes and prevention of gun violence, with support for measures such as background checks and assault weapon bans consistently high. However, legislative action often lags behind, hindered by the absence of federal research and standardised data collection, which are crucial for informing effective policies.

The CDC's restrictions on gun violence research, imposed in 1997 following congressional budget cuts and lobbying pressure, have severely limited efforts to understand and address the root causes of firearm-related injuries and deaths. This gap has been partially filled by state initiatives and newly established research centers, such as California's Firearm Violence Research Center, which aim to generate scientific evidence to support policy interventions. These efforts are complemented by hospital-based violence intervention programs targeting victims of firearm injuries, which demonstrate that early health sector engagement can reduce recidivism and prevent future violence.

Addressing gun violence comprehensively requires a multi-faceted approach that includes legislative reform, increased federal research funding, improved data collection methods, and community-based interventions. The scientific community advocates for restoring the CDC’s capacity to study gun-related issues, emphasizing that evidence-based policies are essential in balancing rights with safety. Moving forward, sustained political will and public support are vital for implementing policies that can effectively reduce the toll of gun violence in America and promote a culture of safety and responsible firearm ownership.

References

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