Reducing Gun Violence in America

Amid a growing consensus that the staggeringtoll of gun violence in the United States is an urgent public health issue, theJohns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health has convenedexperts on gun policy and violence from the United States and selected othercountries to summarize relevant research and its implications for policymakersand concerned citizens. Legal scholars weigh in on the constitutionality ofrecommended policies, and researchers present new data on public support for awide array of policies designed to reduce gun violence. Collected for the firsttime in one volume, this reliable empirical research and legal analysis willinform the policy debate by helping lawmakers and opinion leaders identify thepolicy changes that are most likely to reduce gun violence in the UnitedStates.Researchers draw on new and existing studies on US gun policies todemonstrate both the weaknesses of current federal gun policies and theefficacy of various state laws designed to reduce firearm availability tohigh-risk groups. By analyzing scientific and legal data, the contributorsprovide evidence in support of enhanced regulation and oversight of licensedgun dealers, background checks for private sales, and purchaser licensing.Lessons from bans of assault weapons and of large-capacity magazines are considered, as is the promise of "e;smart guns,"e; which could be fired only byauthorized users. Compelling case studies from Australia, Scotland, and Brazildemonstrate effective policy responses to gun violence that have led tosignificant reductions in gun-related deaths. The book concludes with data onpublic support for strengthening gun laws and Second Amendment considerations.