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Gun Control Research Paper

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Gun Control Research Paper
Gun Control, a Mental Health Issue in America In particular, gun control of late has rapidly become an even more controversial topic in America due to violent acts against the public by troubled individuals. In an article written by Jonathan Metzl and Kenneth MacLeish, “Mental Illness, Mass Shootings and the Politics of American Firearms”, the authors state that “In the United States, popular and political discourse frequently focuses on the causal impact of mental illness in the aftermath of mass shootings” (Metzl and MacLeish sec.1). This is not to mention the impact that these disturbances have on the society; this issue, unfortunately, remains so overlooked that media sources only offer the subject their attention after a tragedy. No mentally …show more content…
This will not make the overall process of obtaining a firearm harder, though applicants would be forced to pass certain additional criteria to be able to purchase a firearm. If everyone who would appreciate owning a firearm stood legally obliged to receive an evaluation from a psychiatrist first, the situation would be significantly different. Instead of dealing with potential violence in the future, individuals not fit to own a firearm would stand forbidden from ever getting the chance. Once a person is found to be, in fact, unfit, his or her name could be logged in a database, as described in the Public Health Brief composition. In the Article “Using Research Evidence to Reframe the Policy Debate Around Mental Illness and Guns”, the authors describe how “Connecticut and Indiana each provides a process for law enforcement to assess whether an individual poses an imminent danger and whether the interests of public safety warrant a prohibition on the purchase and possession of firearms” (McGinty, Applebaum, Bonnie, Grilley, Horwitz, Sawnson and Webster sec. 4). This happens to be a wonderful precautionary measure and step in the right direction; however, it does not completely solve the problem. Solving the issue at the source will most effectively improve this …show more content…
There are two major aspects of recovery: first, stabilizing symptoms and restoring social function and, second, changing one’s attitude and feelings, and developing a new meaning or purpose in one’s life.” (Wolf and Rosen 855) Due to the longevity of this process, helping somebody become a functioning member of society may provide numerous obstacles.
In the article “Getting the Facts Straight About Gun Violence and Mental Illness: Putting

Compassion Before Fear providing much-needed mental health treatment may have some impact

on reducing the small”, authors Carl E. Fisher, M.D., and Jeffrey A. Lieberman, also M.D. state

that “Ultimately, providing much-needed mental health treatment may have some impact on

reducing the small subset of violence attributable to mental illness, and any effect on a problem

as devastating as gun violence is helpful” (3). Even if there are only few numbers of violent gun

related acts that can be pegged on mental illness, these authors clearly state that any help on

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