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Chapter 7: Crime in America (Part 2)

Chapter 7: Crime in America (Part 2). FYI: Today the Supreme Court was established and John Jay was the first appointed Chief Justice. Things to Ponder. There is one gun for every adult and half of the children in the U.S. The estimated total number of guns is around 220 million.

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Chapter 7: Crime in America (Part 2)

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  1. Chapter 7: Crime in America (Part 2) FYI: Today the Supreme Court was established and John Jay was the first appointed Chief Justice.

  2. Things to Ponder • There is one gun for every adult and half of the children in the U.S. • The estimated total number of guns is around 220 million. • The number of households with guns is about 40 percent • In 1990, 1 in 20 high school students reported carrying a gun in a previous month. • In 1995 guns killed 35,957 people in the U.S. (homicides, suicides, accidental shootings) • Firearms are the second leading cause of injury-related death in the U.S. (after automobile accidents) • In 1995 84 % of homicides were attributed to guns b/w the ages of 13 to 19

  3. Guns and the Law • Protected by the Second Amendment • “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” • Looking at the language of the second amendment, Do you believe that it protects an individual’s right to own and operate a gun or a state’s right?

  4. Guns and the Law (cont.) • Majority of people have guns legally and use them lawfully • Some guns are used illegally in violent crimes • Government does various things to control firearm usage; however, this is a controversial issue. • 1968 Gun Control Act put in place after the murders of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Senator Robert Kennedy • 1993 Brady Act put in place after the White House Press Secretary James Brady was shot during an attempt on President Ronald Reagan’s life in 1981.

  5. Guns and the Law (cont.) • 1968 Gun Control Act • Prohibits certain categories of persons from buying or possessing weapons • Requires serial #’s on all guns • Establishes a licensing-fee schedule for firearms manufacturers, importers, and dealers • Prohibits the mail-order sales of all firearms and ammunition • Prohibits the interstate sale of handguns • Sets penalties for carrying and using firearms in crimes of violence or drug trafficking • Sets age guidelines for firearms purchased through dealers 21 for handguns and 18 for long-guns • Bans the importation of certain semiautomatic weapons

  6. Guns and the Law (cont.) • 1993 Gun Control Act • Requires the Attorney General to create an national system to instantly check the background of persons who want to buy guns. • Gun dealers must check the instant background service before completing the purposed sale. • Many states have also enacted legislation requiring background checks, fingerprinting, firearm training, and other application requirements to purchase a gun.

  7. Guns and the Law (cont.) • Gun laws vary by states • Some require a training course or test before purchasing a gun. • Some allow a person to carry concealed weapons (in 1998—31 states allow it) • Why? Individuals have the right to carry a weapons for purposes of self-defense • Some states have very strict laws that require a permit that shows a specific need (ex. security job) • Vermont is the only state that does not regulate the carrying of guns • The District of Columbia along with seven other states does not allow citizens to carry a concealed weapon.

  8. Guns and the Law (cont.) • U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the Second Amendment on several occasions along with lower courts • All courts have ruled that the amendment guarantees a state’s right to maintain a militia. • Has not used the 2nd Amendment yet to strike down federal, state, or local legislation to control guns.

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