In the United States firearms are used for recreation, self-defense, and unfortunately used in crime. Despite numerous gun laws and registration requirements, gun crimes continue to victimize many citizens. In response, the purchase and registration of guns are regulated by federal and state legislation. A comparison of federal and state gun laws is addressed, including a discussion and how guns are illegally obtained. Due to the fear of predatory crime, many citizens are arming themselves for protection. Armed citizen defensive is examined including laws on justifiable homicide, and the meaning of state castle doctrines or stand your ground laws. Evidence on citizen use of guns for personal protection is presented.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. (2016). Data & Statistics. U.S. Department of Justice.
Gomer, Jeremy, Chicago violence, homicides and shootings up in 2015. The Chicago Tribune January 2, 2016.
Wintemute, Garen, J. Gun Shows Across a Multistate American Gun Market: Observational Evidence of the Effects of Regulatory Policies, 13 Inj. Prevention 150, 153-54 (2007), at http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/13/3/150.full.pdf.
Anestis, Michael D, et al, The Association between State Laws Regulating Handgun Ownership and Statewide Suicide Rates, Am. J of Pub. Health (2015).
Kleck, G., and M. Hogam. 1996, November. A National Case-Control Study of Homicide Offending and Gun Ownership. Paper presented at annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Chicago, IL.
Kleck, Gary, and M. Gertz. 1995. Armed Resistance to Crime: The Prevalence and Nature of Self-Defense with a Gun. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 86.
Kates, D.B. 1995. Gun Control: Epidemic of Violence or Pandemic of Propaganda. University of Tennessee Law Review, spring.
Kleck, Gary and Tomislav Kovandzic, City-Level Characteristics and Individual Handgun Ownership: Effects of Collective Security and Homicide, Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, Volume 25, Number 1, February 2009, 45-66.