Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Table of Contents:
Abstract. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Mission Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Evaluating Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Appendix A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Appendix B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
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Abstract:
The recent increase in assault weapon and firearm violence after the lift on the assault
weapons ban in 2004 has brought to national attention the importance of strict gun control laws
and restrictions on firearm retail. The primary aim of this proposal is to start implementing
necessary retail restrictions starting locally in the state of Connecticut. The types of firearms
available should be limited to handguns, long or bolt action rifles and pump shotguns retailed at
more expensive prices then their original value and the retail of more expensive ammunition that
On December 14, 2012, the residents of Newtown, Connecticut, all became victims to
one of America's deadliest mass shootings. Was is preventable? It should have been, but in the
case of Adam Lanza, it was difficult to counter his actions. Lanza’s mother, a gun enthusiast,
legally obtained and registered a large collection of weapons and would often take her sons to
shooting ranges (Buchanan, et al). Lanza had a history of anxiety and OCD and was reported to
have been bullied in high school, causing psychiatric ailments. Gun laws prohibited to purchase
and/or use of fully automatic firearms within the public, however, Lanza used a Bushmaster
XM-15 semi-automatic rifle as his primary firearm in his senseless act. This gun is modeled after
the militaries Colt AR-15. Although the possession of a fully automatic AR-15 is illegal, a
semi-automatic model does not provide much differences in the violence that can be constructed
by them. An individual weilding a semi-automatic firearm can shoot it as fast as they can pull the
trigger, along with high caliber ammunition deemed unfit for any kind of self protection.
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firearm capable of fully automatic, semi-automatic or burst fire at the option of the user”
(Judicial). This is followed by a specific list of assault rifles, centerfire semi-automatic rifles,
semi-automatic pistols and semi-automatic shotguns that were in production prior to or on April
4, 2013. However, “a vast majority of guns used in 18 recent mass shootings were bought legally
and with a federal background check. At least nine gunmen had criminal histories or documented
mental health problems that did not prevent them from obtaining their weapons”(Buchanan, et
al). Access to illegal black markets and illegal firearm retailers is still a global problem and even
publically the amount of firearms available for purchase is unnecessary. Walmart, one of
America’s largest retailer of various products, has nearly 400 available guns in their catalog.
George Zornick of The Nation divulged that “In April 2011, Walmart began stocking guns in
more and more stores, expanding the sales to 1,750 outlets nationwide. By the end of that year,
the FBI received 16.4 million background check requests; the number is 16.8 million this year”
(Zornick). Walmart is now the biggest seller of firearms and ammunition in America. “This gun
thing, it’s really just a nightmare,” says Bertha Lewis, president of the Black Institute, which has
been organizing Walmart workers this year to protest wages and working conditions (Zornick).
Most of Walmart’s firearms for sale are produced for hunting purposes such as long barrel
bolt-action rifles with heavy calibers and shotguns for bird hunting. Unfortunately, these firearms
There should be no sacrifice to the second amendment, but the legislatures of the time
could not have predicted such an increase in the lethality of firearms. It is unfortunate that
Americans have abused this grant of freedom and now we infringe upon our own freedom. This
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is occurring on a national level, but this proposal is set to address the issue primarily in
Connecticut. This proposal aims to regulate the retail and use of firearms within the public.
Daniel Webster from the New York Academy of Medicine affirms that “Higher levels of local
gun ownership were linked with greater intrastate gun trafficking. Regression models estimate
that comprehensive regulation and oversight of gun dealers and state regulation of private sales
of handguns were each associated with significantly lower levels of intrastate gun trafficking”
(Webster et al.). This includes which type of firearm, it’s caliber and its price. Retailers need to
be primary, certified firearm and ammunition sellers. This means supermarkets, such as
Walmart, should not sell and type of firearm that fires live ammunition. Consumers must have
excessive amounts of training and professional and thorough background checks. Nothing of
military grade should be available for purchase, this includes explosives and explosive
ammunition. The highest available caliber should not exceed 5.56x45mm and fully and
semi-automatic assault rifles should not be available for purchase. More detailed information
Mission Statement:
Firearm retail and ownership regulations must adopt proper limitations such as restricting
the available retail locations to ensure communities will not be threatened by the misuse of a
weapon granted for self defense. Therefore, assault weapons, including fully, burst and
semi-automatic rifles, machine guns and submachine guns, capable of disposing multiple rounds
a minute should be deemed illegal; furthermore, extensive funding should be allocated to seizing
illegal gun and ammunition trafficking in the state of Connecticut. Restricting firearm use and
purchase without completely prohibiting them is the primary goal regarding this proposal
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1. Constrict firearm retail locations to federally licensed gun stores that require customers to
show proof of extensive training (36 or more hours) and background checks by 2025.
a. Remove the firearm and ammunition sales location from supermarkets and
b. Eliminate and immediately shut down any licensed gun store that does not comply
with the weapons ban. This can be conducted by state police required to conduct
c. Retail legal firearms and ammunition at a higher price than their previous price to
make it more expensive to own a firearm and make it illegal for any household to
2. Ban the use and retail of fully, burst and semi-automatic assault rifles, machine guns and
submachine guns including any caliber ammunition that exceeds 5.56x45mm by Jan. 1,
2025.
a. Prohibit Connecticut firearm manufacturers from producing the banned gun types
second offense will increase fine to $25,000 and a third offense will provoke a
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Evaluating Resources:
Recently, the Connecticut legislature has proactively been trying to subdue the amount of
violent crimes associated with guns. New policies have displayed great success in suppressing
these crimes. For example, the Public Act No. 13-3 “No person, firm or corporation may
[deliver, at retail,] sell, deliver or otherwise transfer, at retail, any [firearm, as defined in section
53a-3, other than a pistol or revolver,] long gun to any person unless such person makes
application on a form prescribed and furnished by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and
Public Protection”(Judicial), which was enacted April 1, 2014. As a result of these new laws,
Connecticut has seen a significant decrease in the number of gun related crimes. However,
deadly firearms like assault rifles and machine guns are not completely absent from society.
These laws fail to enforce strict punishment and make purchasing any firearms a more difficult
process. In order to cease gun violence, laws must be established that limit the available
locations to purchase a firearm and banning the retail of any assault rifles, machine guns and
As of January, 2013, America’s largest supermarket, Walmart has been the number one
retailer of firearms and ammunition. The semi-automatic assault rifle used in the Sandy Hook
massacre is familiar to many Walmart shoppers. It’s on sale at about 1,700 Walmart stores
nationwide, though the retail chain pulled the weapon from its website three days after the attack
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(Zornick). While the deadly rampage in Connecticut has prompted strict changes in policies and
unmistakably highlighted the madness of making such weapons readily available, it’s a concern
that many people have such easy access to deadly firearms. As a result of being the top retailer of
firearms it is no surprise that “Since the start of 2012, there have been at least fifty shootings in a
Walmart store or parking lot” (Zornick). Walmart is not the only commercial retailer with guns
in stock. Obviously both Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops, both outdoor recreation based stores, have
a wide variety of rifles, handguns and shotguns with a vast stock of varying caliber ammunition.
Eliminating the location in which firearms are sold in these stores should be effective
immediately and moved to federally certified gun stores where background checks are necessary.
Deaths related to gun violence have fluctuated in Connecticut since 2012. In 2012 CT
Against Gun Violence reported data from the CT office of the Chief Medical Examiner a
staggering 115 gun related homicides in the state. However, in 2014 that number dropped to 56,
but then increased to 79 in 2015 (CAGV). The rate of all gun deaths per 100,000 people in 2014
was 5.20 in CT, that was in increase from 2013 which was 4.47. In total, the U.S. experienced
36,000 gun related homicides in 2015. That number may never be zero, but restricting firearm
retail to handguns, bolt-action rifles and pump action shotguns would indefinitely lower it.
Currently, 53 different types and brands of assault rifles can be purchased in Connecticut.
Unfortunately, as Ruth Igielnik and Anna Brown of Pew Research Center divulge, “six-in-ten
non-gun owners (59%) see gun violence as a very big problem in the country today, only
a third of adults who own guns say the same”(Igielnik & Brown). Gun violence is more
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issue.
Goal 1: Constrict firearm retail locations to federally licensed gun stores that require
customers to show proof of extensive training (36 or more hours) and background checks by
2025.
First the town government must be informed of this proposal to ensure that it can be
recognized by the state legislature. It shall be brought forth to lawmakers via the town
government. The law should assert that any form of firearm retail outside a federally licensed
gun store is illegal and all commercial firearm retailers (ex: Walmart, Cabelas, etc) must
eliminate their firearm and ammunition sale location in the state of Connecticut. Contact will be
made with the CEO’s of these companies through the state legislature and the ATF to affirm all
firearm sale locations are eliminated in the state. This will be enforced by the Office of Policy
and Management and State Police. Afterwards, any and all primary gun store owners must go
through a federal process with the state to obtain a federal license to sell legal firearm. With the
implementation of the law, state police will be required to conduct monthly, mandatory searches
of every federally licensed gun store in the state. Also, once the law is enforced, gun owners will
have six months to obtain their federal license from the state. In the stores, no handgun can be
retailed below $900, no long-barrel/ bolt action rifles can be retailed under $1,500 and no
shotguns can be retailed under $2,000. Ammunition will be sold double its original price.
Regulation of these prices will also be enforced by state police during searches. Next, regarding
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the amount of firearms in a single household, which is no more than two, homeowners will be
required to record their purchases regarding firearms and ammunition. During a purchase, a
thorough background check will be conducted by the store owner. If the consumer does not
display an adequate background or have 36 or more hours of training, they shall be denied access
Goal 2: Ban the use and retail of fully, burst and semi-automatic assault rifles, machine
guns and submachine guns including any caliber ammunition that exceeds 5.56x45mm by Jan. 1,
2025.
In association with the constriction of firearm sale locations, Connecticut shall ban the
sale of all fully, burst and semi-automatic assault rifles, machine guns and submachine guns from
federally licensed gun stores. Firearm manufacturers of assault rifles, machine guns and
submachine guns can be produced but have to be sold outside the state. The Department of
Public Safety will enforce this by overseeing all stores sell legal guns and do not exceed the
than two firearms in their house then the Department of Public Safety will fine that individual
$5,000 for their first offense and will be required to turn their illegal firearms into their local
police department. A second offense will increase the fine to $25,000 and a third offense will
turn the individual over to the Department of Corrections where they will serve a maximum
sentence of seven years and a minimum of five based on the amount and type of firearms they
possess. Finally, a revision shall be made to the law that prohibits anyone under 18 from carrying
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a rifle or shotgun to no one under 21 years of age. Any individual under 21 years old caught
carrying and firearm with or without a permit will have to serve a jail sentence of 90 days.
Gaining Support:
The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall remain uninfringed, but certain
firearms cannot be put in the hands of citizens. Gun owners and collectors of assault rifles,
machine guns and submachine guns will likely refute this proposal, however they should ask
themselves how often they put their weapons to use. How often do they go to the firing range?
How often must they defend themselves or their house? Is there a major advantage using an
assault rifle over any handgun? A bullet is capable of suppressing any individual no matter the
caliber. In nearly all of America’s recent mass shootings, “Semi-automatic rifles have been used
in some of the country’s deadliest shootings, such as those in Newtown, Orlando, San
Bernardino and Las Vegas. The AR-15, a lightweight, customizable version of the military’s
M16, soared in popularity after a 10-year federal ban on assault weapons expired in 2004. Some
of the Las Vegas shooter’s guns had been fitted with legal devices called “bump-fire stocks,”
which allow semi-automatic rifles to fire as quickly as automatic ones” (Berkowitz et al). Gun
shop owners should be relieved they no longer have to be responsible for selling an assault rifle
or machine gun used in a deadly shooting massacre. Manufacturers of model assault rifles,
machine guns and submachine guns in the state can still make profit off their production, as they
are allowed to sell outside Connecticut. With this privilege they can also use less materials since
they do not have to produce any banned firearms for Connecticut. The banning of assault rifles,
machine guns and submachine guns in Connecticut would indefinitely support law enforcement
because less lethal firearms would be available. The firearm manufacturing business is down
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nearly $700 million since 2013 and is supplying very little job opportunities and therefore counts
for a respectively small amount of the budget. Jobs can be fused into the gun stores with
salesmen, certified firearm training instructors, gunsmiths and gun inspectors. Colt, one of
Connecticut’s largest firearm manufacturers, accounts for 600 of Connecticut’s jobs (Kramer).
This business is slowly declining and will have no negative impact on the budget or economy
and “The tone of Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) has frayed the state's relationship with gunmakers
Connecticut.
ever has to experience the lethality of weapons made for war. If our legislature fails to act upon
similar guidelines listed in this proposal, then the state of Connecticut can risk a perpetually
increasing violent crime rate due to deadly firearms being to easily available to the public. An
argument often presented is not to ban assault weapons but to keep them out of the hands of
those who commit crimes with such weapons. How is this measurable? Assault weapons should
carry and less expensive. The Connecticut legislature has taken many actions to reduce gun
violence, but a recent rise in crimes associated with firearms should provoke them to incorporate
the ideas presented here, before anyone else becomes victim to the devastation that follows from
assault weapons.
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[Appendix A]
Just
over a half of respondents believed semi-automatic rifles were less dangerous than fully
automatic rifles when in reality both modes provide equal levels of devastation. In fact,
semi-automatic fire can provide more accuracy than fully automatic.
Over 80% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that firearm sale locations be removed from
commercial retailers and made only available in in federally licensed gun stores.
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[Appendix A Cont.]
Similarly to the data presented in removing firearm sale locations from commercial retailers, a
majority of respondents (68.8%) agreed or strongly agreed Connecticut ban the retail of high
capacity ammunition clips. Only 12.5% disagreed.
75% of respondents believed that, out of assault rifles, machine guns and sub-machine guns, all
should be banned to sell to any individual. 25% believed just machine guns should be banned.
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[Appendix B]
“Impact of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban on Homicide Rates and Mass Shootings.” An
Economic Sense, 1 July 2013,
aneconomicsense.org/2013/01/15/impact-of-the-1994-assault-weapons-ban-on-homici
de-rates-and-mass-shootings/.
A direct correlation can be made between the targets of mass shootings and the increase
in assault rifles sales after the lift of the 94-04 assault rifle ban. In 2002, targets in mass
shootings from an assault rifle was zero for a brief period of time and remained relatively low for
the duration of the ban.
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Works Cited
2015, w
ww.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/10/03/us/how-mass-shooters-got-their-guns.html.
Igielnik, Ruth, and Anna Brown. “Key Takeaways on Americans' Views of Guns and Gun Ownership.” P
ew
www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/22/key-takeaways-on-americans-views-of-guns-and-gu
n-ownership/.
“Impact of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban on Homicide Rates and Mass Shootings.” An Economic Sense,
1 July 2013,
aneconomicsense.org/2013/01/15/impact-of-the-1994-assault-weapons-ban-on-homicide-rates-
and-mass-shootings/.
Judicial Branch, Connecticut. “Sec. 53-202a.” Chapter 943 - Offenses Against Public Peace And Safety,
www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_943.htm.
Kramer, Jack. “Connecticut's Firearms Industry Loses Economic Output, Jobs According To Industry
www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/connecticuts_firearms_industry_loses_economic_ou
tput_according_to_industry_/.
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Mancino, Justin. “Survey conducted on grade 9-12 students and staff on restricting firearm retail.” 16 Feb.
2018.
Sappenfield, Mark. "Gun Control Backfires? Rick Perry Lures Connecticut Gunmakers to Texas." Christian
ezproxy.lib.uconn.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&A
N=88266420&site=ehost-live.
Webster, Daniel W., et al. “Effects of State-Level Firearm Seller Accountability Policies on Firearm
Trafficking.” Journal of Urban Health : Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, Springer US,
July 2009, w
ww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2704273/.
Wright, James D. "Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America." Society, vol. 32, no. 3, Mar/Apr95, pp.
63-68. EBSCOhost,
ezproxy.lib.uconn.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&A
N=9503153008&site=ehost-live.
15-20. EBSCOhost,
ezproxy.lib.uconn.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&A
N=84489606&site=ehost-live.
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Annotated Bibliography
2015, w
ww.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/10/03/us/how-mass-shooters-got-their-guns.html.
Larry Buchanan is a graphics editor at The New York Times. He has worked for The Times
since 2013. Before that, he worked for The New Yorker. He has worked on numerous articles
confronting gun violence and the problem with assault weapons available to the public. His
article features primarily quantitative data. For example, “Mr. Paddock legally purchased 33
firearms from Oct. 2016 to Sept. 2017, Ms. Snyder said. His data relates to the availability of
assault weapons to people and the damage they exploit.
Igielnik, Ruth, and Anna Brown. “Key Takeaways on Americans' Views of Guns and Gun Ownership.” P
ew
www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/22/key-takeaways-on-americans-views-of-guns-and-gu
n-ownership/.
Ruth Igielnik is a research associate at Pew Research Center. She focuses on the Center’s
research on social and demographic trends, politics and methodology. Igielnik is a contributing
author of studies about voter files, likely voter modeling, gun ownership and political
polarization. Before joining the Center, Igielnik worked in political polling for campaigns and
candidates. She received her master’s degree in public policy with a specialization in data
analytics from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelor’s from University of Maryland.
Igielnik is an active member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and
regularly presents at the organization’s annual conference. Anna brown works as a research
analyst for Pew Research. Their article presents primarily quantitative data. For example,
“Two-thirds (66%) of gun owners say they own more than one firearm; roughly three-in-ten
(29%) say they personally have five or more guns. Among those who own just one gun,
handguns are by far the most popular: 62% say they own a handgun, compared with 22% who
say they own a rifle and 16% who say they own a shotgun.”. Their data shows the number of
firearms in America and what people think about their purpose.
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“Impact of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban on Homicide Rates and Mass Shootings.” An Economic Sense,
1 July 2013,
aneconomicsense.org/2013/01/15/impact-of-the-1994-assault-weapons-ban-on-homicide-rates-
and-mass-shootings/.
Judicial Branch, Connecticut. “Sec. 53-202a.” Chapter 943 - Offenses Against Public Peace And Safety,
www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_943.htm.
This piece of text is derived from all the members of the Connecticut Judicial Branch. They
designed these articles as guidelines or laws regarding gun control. Specifically Section 53-202a
which addresses mostly assault weapons and which types are currently banned for retail in the
state. They present mostly qualitative data. For example, “Any selective-fire firearm capable of
fully automatic, semiautomatic or burst fire at the option of the user or any of the following
specified semiautomatic firearms: Algimec Agmi; Armalite AR-180; Australian Automatic Arms
SAP Pistol; Auto-Ordnance Thompson type; Avtomat Kalashnikov AK-47 type; Barrett
Light-Fifty model 82A1; Beretta AR-70; Bushmaster Auto Rifle and Auto Pistol; Calico models
M-900, M-950 and 100-P; Chartered Industries of Singapore SR-88; Colt AR-15 and Sporter”.
Kramer, Jack. “Connecticut's Firearms Industry Loses Economic Output, Jobs According To Industry
www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/connecticuts_firearms_industry_loses_economic_ou
tput_according_to_industry_/.
Mancino, Justin. “Survey conducted on grade 9-12 students and staff on restricting firearm retail.” 16 Feb.
2018.
I conducted a survey to measure students knowledge and opinions on guns and banning firearms.
The data collected is mostly quantitative and a majority agree that more strict restrictions should
be implemented on firearm sale. For example, “(68.8%) agreed or strongly agreed Connecticut
ban the retail of high capacity ammunition clips.”. This data supports restricting the lethality of
firearms.
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Sappenfield, Mark. "Gun Control Backfires? Rick Perry Lures Connecticut Gunmakers to Texas." Christian
ezproxy.lib.uconn.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&A
N=88266420&site=ehost-live.
Mark joined the Monitor in 1996 and has since written from Boston, the San Francisco Bay
Area, the Pentagon, and India. In addition to reporting from Pakistan and Afghanistan during his
time in South Asia, Mark has also written on issues of sports and science. He has covered seven
Olympic Games and attended events at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, including the landing
of the Mars rover Opportunity. After returning to Boston in 2009, Mark served as both deputy
national news editor and national news editor. Sappenfield presents mostly qualitative data. For
example, “The tone of Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) has frayed the state's relationship with
gunmakers further.”.
Webster, Daniel W., et al. “Effects of State-Level Firearm Seller Accountability Policies on Firearm
Trafficking.” Journal of Urban Health : Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, Springer US,
July 2009, w
ww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2704273/.
Daniel W. Webster, ScD, MPH is Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Webster is Director of the Johns Hopkins
Center for Gun Policy and Research and Co-Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for the
Prevention of Youth Violence. He leads the Johns Hopkins-Baltimore Collaborative for Violence
Reduction and holds a joint appointment as Professor in the School of Education's Division of
Public Safety Leadership at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Webster is one of the nation’s leading experts on
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firearm policy and the prevention of gun violence. He is co-editor and contributor to Reducing
Gun Violence in America. He attended the University of Michigan. The data in the article is a
mix of qualitative and quantitative. For example, “There was a very high concordance between
having strong state laws concerning the regulation of gun dealers and state and/or local law
enforcement agencies having policies to inspect all gun dealers within some specified interval
(e.g., every year, every other year).”
Wright, James D. "Ten Essential Observations on Guns in America." Society, vol. 32, no. 3, Mar/Apr95, pp.
63-68. EBSCOhost,
ezproxy.lib.uconn.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&A
N=9503153008&site=ehost-live.
James D. Wright is an author, educator, and the Provost’s Distinguished Research Professor in
the Department of Sociology at the University of Central Florida. Wright also serves as the
Director of the UCF Institute for Social and Behavioral Sciences, as editor-in-chief of the journal
Social Science Research, and as editor-in-chief of the International Encyclopedia of the Social
and Behavioral Sciences, 2nd edition, forthcoming in 2015 from Elsevier. He received his PhD
from the University of Wisconsin in 1973 and taught at the University of Massachusetts,
Amherst, and Tulane University before coming to UCF in 2001. He has published twenty-one
books and more than 300 journal articles, book chapters, essays, reviews, and polemics on topics
ranging from poverty to homelessness to guns in America to NASCAR to survey and evaluation
research methods. Dr. Wrights article include mostly quantitative data. For example, “Surveys in
some smaller southern cities, for example, have reported local gun ownership rates in excess of
90 percent.”.
15-20. EBSCOhost,
ezproxy.lib.uconn.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&A
N=84489606&site=ehost-live.
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George Zornick grew up in Buffalo, NY and holds a B.A. in English from the State University of
New York at Buffalo. Prior to joining The Nation, George was Senior Reporter/Blogger for
ThinkProgress.org. He worked as a researcher for Michael Moore’s SiCKO and as an Associate
Producer on “The Media Project” on the Independent Film Channel. His work has been
published in The Los Angeles Times, Media Matters, and The Buffalo News. This article
contained mostly quantitative data. For example, “In April 2011, Walmart began stocking guns
in more and more stores, expanding the sales to 1,750 outlets nationwide. By the end of that
year, the FBI received 16.4 million background check requests; the number is 16.8 million this
year.”
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