CRJ Chapter 10

Gun Control Bill

Proposed legislation regulating firearm sales, possession, and usage.

Homicide Rate

Number of homicides per 1,000 individuals in a population.

Intimate Partner Violence

Violence within relationships; its decrease aids crime reduction.

Disproportionate Impact

Unequal effects on specific groups, such as African Americans facing higher gun-related violence.

Supply Reduction

Efforts to curb firearm availability.

Demand Reduction

Strategies addressing offender motivations to minimize gun use.

Incapacitation Strategies

Actions like imprisonment to deter offenders from future crimes.

Right-to-Carry Laws

Regulations allowing concealed weapons for self-defense.

Handguns

Compact firearms operated with one hand, often linked to criminal activity.

Assault Weapons

Rapid-fire firearms with high-capacity magazines, central to regulatory debates.

Saturday Night Specials

Small, concealable, inexpensive handguns often associated with criminal use.

Rifle Barrel

Grooved barrels enhancing shooting accuracy.

Gun Control

Measures regulating firearm ownership and transactions.

Police Permit

Required authorization for firearm acquisition.

Mandatory Gun Safety Training

Educational programs for safe gun handling and storage.

Child-Safe Gun Designs

Modifications preventing accidental use by minors.

Small Arms

Personal firearms for individual use.

General Social Survey (GSS)

Data collection on societal trends, including gun ownership.

Gun Ownership Norms

Societal expectations around firearm possession within communities.

Heller v. District of Columbia

Supreme Court decision affirming individual firearm rights under the Second Amendment.

Second Amendment

Constitutional guarantee to 'keep and bear arms.'

Not Unlimited

Legal principle defining boundaries for constitutional rights.

Gun Supply Laws

Restrictions limiting firearm types and availability.

Criminal Use Laws

Policies penalizing illegal gun activities.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)

Federal agency enforcing gun regulations.

Black Market

Illegal firearm trade bypassing laws.

Buy-Back Programs

Initiatives collecting unwanted firearms, with limited crime reduction impact.

Large-Capacity Magazines

High-round storage devices targeted by regulations.

Violent Crime Control Act

Legislation banning certain firearms and magazines, expired in 2004.

Circulation

Widespread handgun availability complicating enforcement.

“Bad Person” Strategy

Focused regulations targeting unsuitable gun owners.

Federal Firearms License (FFL)

Mandated permit for commercial gun sales.

Problem Dealers

Sellers linked to disproportionate firearms in crime.

Interstate Trafficking

Illicit firearm movement across state lines bypassing regulations.

Brady Act

Federal law mandating background checks and waiting periods for handgun purchases.

Lautenberg Amendment

Law prohibiting firearm ownership for those with domestic violence convictions.

National Instant Background Check System (NICS)

Tool for screening gun buyers.

Straw Purchaser

Individuals buying firearms for ineligible buyers.

Gun Show Loophole

Alleged ability to buy firearms without background checks.

Gun Export Rates

Movement of firearms across state lines before crimes.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Advocacy group for stronger gun regulations.

Sensitive Locations

Areas, like schools, with heightened firearm risks.

Electronic Screening

Technology detecting banned items in security checks.

Prohibited Items

Restricted objects, including firearms, in sensitive locations.

TSA

Agency overseeing airport security.

Gun-Free Schools Act

Law requiring student expulsion for bringing firearms to schools.

Controlled Access

Security protocols limiting entry to buildings and grounds.

Incremental Changes

Small-scale measures driving significant outcomes collectively.

Shall Issue Laws

Policies mandating concealed carry permits issuance for qualified individuals.

May Issue Laws

Policies granting discretion to deny concealed carry permits.

Self-Perpetuating Gun Culture

Widespread firearm ownership fostering continuous possession norms.

Stand-Your-Ground Laws

Rules allowing self-defense with deadly force without retreat.

Imminent Threat

Immediate danger requiring prompt defensive actions.

Defense-of-Life Policy

Restrictions on deadly force usage limited to life-threatening scenarios.

Mandatory Minimum Sentence

Fixed legal penalties for specific offenses.

Good-Time Credit

Reduced sentences for good behavior.

Weapons Offense

Illegal firearm possession or use-related crimes.

Going Rate

Typical severity of legal penalties for specific crimes.

Trickle-Up Phenomenon

Tougher laws influencing less severe crimes.

Announcement Effect

Behavioral changes driven by publicized policies.

Gun-Related Assault

Violent encounters involving firearms.

Weed and Seed Program

Initiative reducing crime through offender removal and community revitalization.

Problem-Oriented Policing

Crime strategies targeting specific issues or patterns.

Hot Spots Policing

Focused enforcement in high-crime areas.

Displacement Effect

Crime relocation due to targeted interventions.

Boston Gun Project

Initiative addressing gang violence via deterrence.

Operation Ceasefire

Strategy tackling gun violence with focused enforcement and legal measures.

Pulling Levers Strategy

Tactics emphasizing enforcement on individuals driving gun violence.

Focused Deterrence

Programs targeting groups responsible for firearms-related crimes.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

Collaboration reducing firearm violence through community and legal efforts.

Coordinated Approach

Cross-agency cooperation addressing gun-related issues.

Explain Walker’s reasoning behind Proposition 24: Attempts to ban the possession of handguns or certain types of guns are not considered viable for crime reduction. 

Attempts to ban handgun possession are not seen as viable for crime reduction due to the circulation of 114 million handguns in the U.S., with no practical way to remove them. Additionally, black markets for firearms are already established and would likely grow under a ban, mirroring the unintended consequences of drug prohibition.

Explain Walker’s reasoning behind Proposition 25: Laws that seek to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill have at best some limited effect but are easily evaded by the black market in guns.

Laws targeting gun ownership by criminals and the mentally ill have limited effectiveness because determined individuals often evade these restrictions by turning to the thriving black market, supported by the circulation of 114 million handguns. Criminals, aware they would fail background checks, frequently bypass legal channels altogether.

Explain Walker’s reasoning behind Proposition 26: Laws designed to allow more people to carry guns and laws that allow them to use their guns in a greater range of circumstances are more likely to increase rather than reduce homicides. 

Laws that expand the circumstances for gun use, like stand-your-ground laws, are linked to an increase in homicides, particularly among white males, with no significant link to justified self-defense. Misinterpretations of these laws and lack of proper training for civilians contribute to misuse of firearms, unlike the stricter policies followed by trained police officers

Explain Walker’s reasoning behind Proposition 27: Carefully designed and focused programs directed toward a small group of known offenders have been found to be effective in reducing gun violence. 

Focused programs like the Boston Gun Project have proven effective in reducing gun violence by targeting high-crime neighborhoods and known offenders using strategies such as enforcing laws and prosecuting traffickers. These initiatives, including Operation Ceasefire, achieved significant reductions in homicides and gun assaults, showcasing the success of detailed, collaborative approaches to crime reduction.