Mass Shootings Research Paper

Gun Control and Mass Shootings in America Gun violence is an unquestionable issue in America, with the United States ranking as one of the worst with both homicides and suicides using guns. That being said, we outnumber Mexico in gun related deaths and among first-world countries we rank far above others in the number of gun deaths, such as England and Australia. Consequently, we live in one of the only first world countries that does not have extensive gun laws and restrictions to gun access. Aside from the countless homicides and suicides by firearm in this country, one particular issue within this predicament is mass shootings, with the most recent mass shooting occurring on February 14th, 2018 at a high school in Parkland, Florida where 17 people were killed. Although, it may seem like an easy fix to just implement gun control laws into our society to eliminate gun violence, but it is important to note that Americans own nearly half of all firearms globally, which is roughly 325 million guns;

Passing gun control legislation that creates a universal background check and gun database system as well as passing mental health legislation that improves the health care system’s protocols and policies for assisting people with mental health disorders and that enacts counseling programs in communities and schools will decrease the likelihood of mass shootings in schools. The United States is bitterly divided. Issues of great concern, such as the rise of mass shootings, are partisanized. Both sides of the debate will not comprise or listen to what their opponents have to say. Groups from both sides can only agree that one innocent life taken from gun violence is one too many.

his essay mainly focuses on the multiple perspectives given towards the Second Amendment. These perspectives are given from Saul Cornell and Joyce. They both analyze and examine on what the Second Amendment really means. They discuss about the rights that the amendment gives to citizens that live in United States, which is the right to own firearms. Also, They give some examples on how these deadly firearms are sometimes used for the wrong reasons.

Various preventable high profile violent crimes involving the use of firearms have increasingly occurred numerous times in recent years. The events from Virginia Tech, Charleston Church, Colorado Movie Theater, Sandy Hook shootings along with others are clear messages displaying why the United States should implement greater gun control laws. The mass shootings are only increasing with time as little is done to take preventative measures on gun possession. According to Mona Chalabi from The Guardian, “An analysis from the Harvard School of Public Health and Northeastern University last year found that between 1982 and 2011 mass shootings occurred every 200 days on average.

Yet doctors and psychiatrists say that there is very little connection between mental health and mass shootings. However each time a massacre occurs the perpetrator is labeled as mentally disturbed and or has some sort of mental health issue. So what is going to stop mass shootings? What is the first step us as americans should take to make a difference

Research is showing how mass shooting effects the mental health of individuals in their community, schools, and families. Research is showing how individuals who were not involved in mass shootings can, in fact, be impacted by it also. Mass Shooting Mass shootings are associated with a variety of adverse psychological outcomes in survivors and members of affected communities. Not much is known about the psychological effects of mass shootings on indirectly exposed populations: however, there is evidence that such events lead to a short- term increases in fears, and perceived safety. A variety of risk factors for adverse psychological outcomes have been identified, including on the implications gender, and psychological symptoms of event exposure.

Mental health care and gun violence meet at a very bumpy crossroad. According to Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House, “What we have seen – and a common theme among many of these mass shootings – is a theme of mental illness” (Flores). Adam Lanza, Seung Hui Cho, James Holmes, Elliot Rodgers, Aaron Alexis, and Dylann Roof: what do these six men have in common? They are all mass shooters that were diagnosed as mentally ill. All six of these men have failed to detect their illness and properly treat it.

Many people believe that the main cause of mass shootings are the people who are doing it have a mental health problem, and sometimes they might even be right, but not everyone who has been involved in a mass shooting has had mental health problems. “...data shows that, at most, only around 5 percent of crimes in the U.S. are performed by people with mental illness and that the percentage is the same for violent crimes (link is external)—which means that 95 percent of violent crimes are committed by non-mentally ill individuals” (Psychology Today). There are cases that support that some people have had severe mental health issues, such as schizophrenia. Yet, there are also cases that prove there is very little evidence linking mental health and mass shootings together. There are very few mental illnesses that would make a person want to go and commit such a murder.

The thought of a mass shooting happening puts fear into the mind of human beings, and the thought of possibly putting a stop to them by providing better mental health services to people may be a soothing thought to people. But like abortion and gun control, Everyone has an opinion that can’t be ignored on the topic. There’s people who think that mental health issues causes the mass shootings, and then there’s the people who beg to differ and think that mental health doesn’t play a role in them(mass shootings) at all and think that people use the mental health as a reason to justify the shootings. Now we come to the million dollar question, Is mental illness the reason for mass shootings? One thing is for sure, Rampage Violence needs a new type of

Therefore, in every shooting that occurs mental health is a factor that must be accounted for. However, I do not think sufficient research has been conducted to explain why people reach a state of mind that results in a mass shooting. If people had a better understanding of what goes through a killer’s mind, it's possible a cure could be created. Also, it's important to take into account the lack of mental health services available. Many people suffering from mental illnesses don't seek treatment.

Most do not like to admit that mass shootings are becoming a part of everyday life. They are becoming the activity that some Americans are using to cope with stress or things they do not agree with. Instead of letting things go, some people are beginning to take their anger out on others. They believe by doing this they are proving a point and releasing their anger. Mass shootings are beginning to occur rapidly in the United States.

Regulating guns will not stop all of the killings that are occurring in America, and there are better ways to cease the killings than regulating guns. Body Paragraph One: Topic Sentence: Regulating mental health will be more effective in ceasing killings with guns than regulating guns. In an analysis provided, 22 percent of the perpetrators of 235 mass killing, could be considered mentally ill, many of which were carried out with firearms (Qui). Almost 25% of mass shooting killers are being considered mentally ill

School shootings and gun violence have regrettably become a major issue in America today. The frequency of these acts of hatred are increasing and an increasing number of people are debating about necessary precautions. The most recent school shooting in America occurred this past week and the victims of it are raising their voices for the world to hear. There needs to be better, more efficient policies put in place regarding school safety and gun control to ensure this type of heinous crime does not happen ever again. There are people who say this is a matter of mental illness and others who say this is about gun control.

On October 1st, 2015 President Barack Obama released a speech regarding the devastating mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. President Obama’s main argument, in his speech, was that we as a nation have put so much money to prevent other disasters but have, for the most part, ignored the idea of proceeding with gun control laws to prevent situations like mass shootings. The President mentions how “it's fair to say that anybody who does this has a sickness in their minds, regardless of what they think their motivations may be. But we are not the only country on Earth that has people with mental illnesses or want to do harm to other people.

However, a definite solution still has not been reached and America is split on the topic. The solutions currently enacted focus on guns, yet America still has a serious issue with gun related crime attacks, and fatalities. Solutions should not solely target the actual guns, because guns are powerless without the person who fires the weapon. The solution should not be to take away guns, but to consider the people who have access to them. Addressing mental health is the real solution to preventing gun violence and attacks.