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< 6X  9   ` (   C o u r i e r           XH;      (                  Ro$          UKUS       P a n a s o n i c   K X - P 1 1 2 3                                       KXP1123.PRS                                                                                                                                                                       H    T 0
   Ro!    UKUS         W           Ӏ̀Thisessayistobeusedforstudypurposesandcannotbeπsubmittedbyastudentformarks.̀PartI:Introduction󀀀Theissueofguncontrolandviolence,bothinCanadaandtheUnitedStates,isonethatsimplywillnotgoaway.Ifhistoryistobeanyguide,nomatterwhattheresolutiontotheguncontroldebateis,itisprobablethattheargumentsproandconwillbemuchthesameastheyalwayshavebeen.In1977,legislationwaspassedbytheCanadianParliamentregulatinglonggunsforthefirsttime,restructuringtheavailabilityoffirearms,andincreasingavarietyofpenalties.Canadianfirearmslawisprimarilyfederal,and"therforenationalinscope,whilethebulkofthefirearmsregulationintheUnitedStatesisatthestatelevel;attemptstointroducestricterleglislationatthefederallevelareoftendefeated".̀TheimportanceofthisissueisthatnotallNorthAmericansarenecessarilysupportiveofstrictguncontrolasbeingafeasiblealternativetocontrollingurbanviolence.Thereareconcernswiththeopponentsofguncontrol,thattheprofessionalcriminalwhowantsaguncanobtainone,andleavestheaveragelawabidingcitizenhelplessindefendingthemselvesagainsttheperilsofurbanlife.IsitourrighttobeararmsasNorthAmericans?Orisitprivilege?Andwhatarethebenefitsofhavingstrictguncontrollaws?Throughtheanalysisofthewritingsandreportsofacademicsandexpertsofguncontrolandurbanviolence,itwillbepossibletoexaminetheissuesandtheoriesofthesocialimpactof   	 P-(4   thisissue. > > PartII:ReviewoftheLiteratureA)SummaryInapaperwhichlookedatguncontrolandfirearmsviolenceinNorthAmerica,RobertJ.Mundt,oftheUniversityofNorthCarolina,pointsoutthat"CrimeinAmericaispopularlyperceived[inCanada]assomethingtobeexpectedinasocietywhichhaslessrespectfortheruleoflawthandoesCanadiansociety...".In1977,theCanadiangovernmenttooktheinitiativetolegislatestricterguncontrol.AmongtheprovisionslegislatedbytheCanadiangovernmentwasa"FirearmsAcquisitionCertificate"forthepurchaseofanyfirearm,andstrengthenedthe"registrationrequirementsforhandgunsandotherrestrictedweapons...".̀Thepurposeofthe1977leglislationwastoreducetheavailabilityoffirearms,ontheassumptionthatthereisa"positiverelationshipbetweenavailabilityanduse".InRobertJ.Mundt'sstudy,whencomparedwiththeUnitedStates,trendsinCanadaoverthepasttenyearsinvarioustypesofviolentcrime,suicide,andaccidentaldeathshownodramaticresults,"andfewsuggestionsofperceptibleeffectsofthe1977Canadianguncontrollegislation".Theonlypositiveeffect,Mundt,foundinthestudywasthedecreaseintheuseoffirearmsinrobberywithcompariontotrendsintheUnitedStates.InformedlawenforcementofficersinCanada,asintheUnitedStates,viewthe"impactofrestrictingtheavailabilityoffirearmsismorelikelytoimpactonthoseviolentincidentsthat @ @ wouldnothavehappenedhadaweaponbeenathand"(152).̀InanarticlebyGaryA.MauseroftheSimonFraserUniversityA    	 P-(4   ЇA inBritishColumbia,heplacesspecialemphasisontheattitudestowardsfirearmsdisplayedbybothCanadiansandAmericans.AccordingtoMauser,largemajoritiesofthegeneralpublicinbothcountries"supportguncontrollegislationwhilesimultaneouslybelievingthattheyhavetherighttoownfirearms"(Mauser1990:573).Despitethesimilarities,thereareapparentdifferencesbetweenthegeneralpublicsinthetwocountries.AsMauserstatesthat"CanadiansaremoredeferenttoauthorityanddonotsupporttheuseofhandgunsinselfdefencetothesameextentasAmericans" B (574)B .̀AsMauserpointsoutthat"ithasbeenarguedthatculturaldifferencesaccountforwhyCanadahasstricterguncontrollegislationthantheUnitedStates"(575).Surprisinglyenough,nationwidesurveysinbothCanadaandtheUnitedStates"showremarkablesimilarityinthepublicattitudetowardsfirearmsandguncontrol"(586).BothCanadaandtheUnitedStateswereoriginallyEnglishcolonies,andbothhavehistoricallyhadsimilarpatternsofimmigration.Moreover,CanadiansareexposedtoAmericantelevision(bothentertainmentandnewsprogramming)and,CanadiansandAmericansreadmanyofthesamebooksandmagazines.Asaresultofthis,theCanadianpublichasadopted"muchoftheAmericanculture".   	 P-(4   ЀInanarticlebyCatherineF.SprouleandDeborahJ.KennettofTrentUniversity,theylookedattheuseoffirearmsinCanadianhomicidesbetweentheyearsof19721982.Therefindingsfirmlysupporttheconclusionthatguncontrolisbeneficial.AccordingtoSprouleandKennett,guncontrol"maybeinfluencingsomesuspectstokillbyothermethods,butitislesslikelyforthesesuspectstokillmultiplevictims".FromthestudyconductedbySprouleandKennetttherateofviolentcrimeswasfivetimesgreaterintheU.SthanCanada,and"almostdoubletherateoffirearmuseinAmericanthanCanadianhomicides"(3233).Inshort,theuseoffirearms"inCanadianhomicideshasdeclinedsincethelegislativechangesinguncontrolin1977".̀Asmentionedinlectures,Canadiancitieshavebeentraditionallysafer,andlessvulnerableto'CrimeWaves'thanourAmericanneighboursduetoourextensivepoliceforceandguncontrollaws.Afactortobeconsidered,though,isournationalheritageorculturewhichholdstraditionsofpassivenessandpeaceunliketheAmericanFrontierheritage.Fromourtextbook,WhyNothingWorks,MarvinHarrispointsoutthatthe"AmericanConstitutionguaranteescitizenstherighttobeararms,andthishasmadeitpossibleforU.S.criminalstoobtainfirearmsmorereadilythantheircounterpartsincountrieslikeJapan...".MarvinHarrisindicatesthat"thehighrateofhomicideintheUnitedStatesundoubtedlyreflects,tosomeextent,theestimated50millionhandgunsandrifleslegallyandillegallyownedbytheAmerican   	 P-(4   Їpeople"(122).Asdemonstratedinthefilm:Cops,Guns,andDrugs,theproblemwithcontrollingurbanviolenceintheUnitedStatesisthatitisoutofproportionincontrasttotheavailablepoliceforce.̀Inhisbook,TheSaturdayNightSpecial,RobertSherrillexplainsthecheap,usuallyillegal,easilyconcealedhandgunthatplaysapartinsomanycrimesintheUnitedStates.HereviewstheroleofgunsinAmericanlifefromtheshootoutsoftheOldWesttothestreetviolenceoftoday.AccordingtoSherrill,"mostmurdersoccurinshabbyneighbourhoods;ofthe690murdersinDetroitin1971,forexample,575occurredintheblackslumsmostlybyhandguns".AsaDetroitsociologistaddedtothisalarmingfigure:"LivinginafrustratingstressinducingenvironmentliketheUnitedStateseverydayofyourlifemakesmanypeoplewalkingpowderkegs"(38).Inagreementwiththisstatement,SherrillsuggeststhatthehardesthitofallAmericanurbancentresistheintercitiesofLosAngeles,NewYork,Detroit,andWashington.Thesecitieslargelyconsistofvisibleminoritieswhoarefrustratedwiththehanddealttothem,andsimplyresortto"drugs,guns,andviolence"asawayoflife C (2427)C .Asdiscussedinlecture,andviewedinthefilm:Cops,Guns,andDrugs,manyoftheyouthintheunderclasswhobecomeinvolvedinthiswayoflife,"areconsideredtobeoldiftheylivepasttheageof20".F 񀀀F InanotherpaperbyCatherineF.SprouleandDeborahJ.Kennett,theycomparedtheincidenceofkillingsbyhandguns,firearmsotherthanhandguns,andnonshootingmethodsbetweentheG    	 P-(4   ЇG UnitedStatesandCanadafortheyears1977to1983.Intheirstudytheyfoundthat"inCanadatherewere443handgunkillingsper100,000peoplecomparedto4108intheU.S.overtheperiodof19771983".Theyalsonotedthatthe"AmericanmurderratesforhandgunsarehigherthanthetotalCanadianhomiciderate"(249).AccordingtoSprouleandKennett,"Canada'sfavourablesituationregardingmurderrelativetotheUnitedStatesistoalargemeasuretheresultofCanadianguncontrol,andCanadiansmustbevigilantagainstanyerosionofourguncontrolprovisions"(250).B:Comparison:̀Theworkscitedabovearebasedonresearchdonebyexpertsandscholarsinthefieldofguncontrolandviolence.Examiningtheabovematerialscanidentifysimilaritiesanddifferencesfoundinthevariouscitedsources,suchargumentsforandagainstguncontrolpolicyinNorthAmerica.Itisclearlyevidenttoseethatopponentsofstrictguncontrolwillhavesimilararguments.Firstly,theyareusuallydefendingeachotheragainsttheiropponentsoftheissue,andtheyseethebenefitsasfarmoregreaterthanthesetbacks.Theintroductionofthe1977legislationbytheCanadiangovernmentstronglysuggeststhatthecountrywillbenefitbyhavingasafersociety,andreductionincrime.AccordingtoRobertJ.Mundt,abenefitreapedbythislegislationhasbeena"trendawayfromtheuseoffirearmsinrobberieshasbeennoticeableeversincethepassageoftheguncontrolprovisionsofthe1977BillC51(CriminalLawAmendmentAct)".MausermentionsthatCanadiansare"moresupportiveof   	 P-(4   ЇI J %
    
 J I strictercontrolsonhandgunsthanareAmericans...Moreover,CanadiansappeartobelesssupportiveofhomeownersusingfirearmstodefendthemselvesthanareAmericans"(Mauser:587).ThisevaluationbyMausersuggeststhatCanadiansdohaveconfidenceinguncontrol,andlawenforcementincontrollingthesafetyoftheirwellbeing.̀SimilaritiescanalsobecitedintheworksofHarrisandSherrillwhichdiscusstheeffectsofhaving'therighttobeararms'intheUnitedStates.AccordingtoMarvinHarris,WhyNothingWorks,there"hasbeenasteadyincreaseintheavailabilityoffirearmssince1945,thismayaccountformuchoftheincreaseinthehomiciderate"intheUnitedStates.HarrisalsosuggeststhatAmericahas"developedauniquepermanentracialunderclass"whichprovideconditionsforboththemotiveandopportunityforviolentcriminalbehaviour(123).InSherrill'sbook,TheSaturdayNightSpecial,amajortopicofconcernisthestatusstructureofthestreetganginwhich"successindefenseoftheturfbringsdeferenceandreputation...Herethesuccessfulexerciseofviolenceisaroadtoachievement".AsSherrillmentions,thisviolenceisexercisedbythemeansofagunthatcanbeeasilyobtainedintheUnitedStatesduetotheeasyaccessibilityofguns.̀Therearealsosomeworthwhiledifferencesfoundintheliteraturecitedabove.Forone,SprouleandKennett,indicatethatgunownershipintheUnitedStatesis"inverselyrelatedto   	 P-(4   individualslackofconfidenceincollectiveinstitutionstoprotecttheirsecurityofpersonandproperty...".RobertSherrillbelievesthatthevastmajorityofpeoplewhoownguns,"simplyownthembecauseitisapartoftheirAmericanheritage,andtheconstitutiongivesthem'therighttobeararms'"(1973:225).HesuggeststhatAmericanschoosetopracticetheircivillibertiestoitsentirety.̀OthernotabledifferencesintheliteratureisMauser'sviewforthedifferencesintheguncontrollegislationbetweenthetwocountries.Mauserstatesthatthecauseforthisis"thedifferencesinpoliticalelitesandinstitutionsratherthaninpublicopinion"(1990:587).DuetoCanada'spoliticalstructure,itisaloteasiertomakeandapprovelawsincomparisonwiththeUnitedStatesCongressstructure.PartIII:ThesisStatement̀Afterresearchingallthedatacollectedfromthelibraryandtheuseofcourserelatedmaterials,IhaveformulatedmyowntheoryonthesocialimpactofguncontrolandviolenceinNorthAmerica.Goingbacktotheintroduction,Ihaveaskedthereadertwoquestions:(1)IsitourrighttobeararmsasNorthAmericans?Orisitaprivilege?,and(2)Whatarethebenefitsofhavingstrictguncontrollaws?Itappearstomethatmuchoftheliteraturecitedabovelooksatguncontrolasbeingafeasiblealternativeinreducinghomicidesandarmedrobbery.Fromtheauthorscitedabove,therefindingsunderminetheapparentclaimofguncontrolopponentsintheirslogan`peoplekill,gunsdon't'.The   	 P-(4   ЇintroductionofguncontrolinCanadasignificantlyshowsthatCanadianguncontrol,especiallytheprovisionspertainingtohandguns,doeshavethebeneficialeffectofreducingviolentcrime,andsavinglives.PartIV:AnalysisAndConclusions̀Whenlookingatthe1977CanadianLegislationofguncontrol,itiseasytoseethatthereissomebiasandassumptionspresent.Forone,itassumesthatlefttoitsowndevicesthelegislationwillmakeitvirtuallyimpossibleforacriminaltoobtainahandgun.Secondly,thereisanassumptionthatifapersondoesn'thaveacriminalrecord(itdoesn'tneccessarilymeanthattheyarelawabiding)thentheyareeligibletoobtainafirearmwithanFAC(firearmsAcquisitionCertificate).WiththeimplementationofBillC51,a`BlackMarket'forillegalhandgunshasemergedfromtheUnitedStatesintoCanada,makingitextremelyeasyfortheprofessionalcriminaltoobtainafirearm.̀ItcanbeagreedthatsincetheimplementationofBillC51in1977,CanadahasremainedrelativelysafeinincidentsinvolvingfirearmsincomparisontotheUnitedStates.TheassumptionofmanyAmericans,isthathavingtherighttobeararmsincreasestheirsecurityisopentodispute.Itisjustasreasonabletoassumethatrestrictingthe`righttobeararms'willincreasethesafetyandsecurityofasociety.Inaccordancewithmanysociologistsbeliefs,isthatCanadahistoricallyhasn'texperiencedtheproblemsofcrime,thattheUnitedStateshas,becauseofit'scentralpoliceforce.   	 P-(4   Ѐ̀Inaddition,SprouleandKennettviewthesignificanteffectofguncontrolisthemethodofkilling.Although"guncontrolmaybeinfluencingsomesuspectstokillbyothermethods,itislesslikelyforthesesuspectstokillmultiplevictims"  (1988:36) .AswitnessedbytheAmericanmedia,massmurderinpublicismuchmoreacommonoccurrenceintheU.S.thanCanada.Itissafetosaythatguncontrolhassavedthelivesofpotentialinnocentvictimsofcrime.̀Furthermore,aswasmentionedinclassdiscussionandlectures,thestrengthorinfluencesofthemassmediatoglorifyviolencehashaddetrimentaleffectsonNorthAmericansociety.Insomeways,theactofviolencehasbeendesensitisedandglorifiedratherthanbeingdisplayedasanunacceptableformofbehaviour.Thisportrayalbythemedia,hasmadehandgunsandotherfirearmsseemfashionableintheeyesofouryouthandgeneralpopulationinNorthAmerica.Thisunquestionablyplacesourlawenforcementagenciesataconsiderabledisadvantage,simplybecauseiterodestheconfidenceandtrustdisplayedinthembythegeneralpublic.̀Presently,CanadadoeshavetheadvantageofguncontrolunliketheU.S.situation.Wearenowlivinginanenvironmentthathasseendramaticincreaseinviolentcrime,overashortperiodoftime.WhethertheUnitedStatesadoptsaguncontrolpolicysimilartoCanada's,remainstobeseen.AsforCanadians,wemustmaintainconfidenceinthepoliceandjusticesystemtoprotectourcollectivesecurityasanimportantmeansbywhichtodetergunacquisition.   	 P-(4   Ї̀̀"Societymustplacelimitsonculture'sappetites"̀Durkheim̀   	 P-(4   Ї̀ 