A new report concerning gun trafficking was recently issued by a coalition of concerned mayors. The group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, is headed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the report’s findings advocate a toughing of gun control laws in ten states with the highest gun crimes in the country.
The report indicates that these states: Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Alaska, Alabama, South Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Nevada, and Georgia, have not only the most gun crimes in America, but are all hubs for illegal gun trafficking. The report suggests that the loose guns laws in these states make them natural centers for gun violence.
Bloomberg and friends make a compelling argument. It seems like a logical step to take. If a state’s crime statistics show it is particularly plagued by a certain type of crime, it makes sense to first identify the frequent crime in question and then look for what makes it so endemic to that state. In the case of these states it is illegal guns and the loophole-filled state gun laws that encourage them, respectively. By investing time and money to pass legislation to eliminate those loopholes, one would think that the natural result would be a lessening of gun crimes. However, within this sound logic lies a problem: it assumes people only commit these sorts of gun crimes because the law is so relaxed.
The point is that though strengthening gun control laws is a necessity to destroy the illegal gun trafficking markets in these states, as well as curb gun-related violence, what Bloomberg’s group and our government seem to be forgetting to address are the deeper social reasons for why these crimes are committed in the first place.
Imagine how our country would be if no one wanted to shoot people to death or be placed in a position where they felt they need to do so. It may sound like a pipe dream, but in some sense this is somewhat of a reality in other countries. Japan for instance has some of the lowest homicide rates in the world. Some sociologists attribute this to the fact that their culture is one that is based around strict adherence to respect for societal order. Their culture is integrated into how their government governs its people. Programs such as full public health care, housing, and other social services with offerings beyond what America offers to its people reinforces the idea that crime isn’t a necessity to live. This can also be said about many other Asian and European countries as well, such as Singapore and Denmark. Though these countries have strict gun control laws in place, they also have a strong government funded support system to enforce the idea to their citizens that crime isn’t necessary in a society where everyone’s needs are met. Their laws also emphasize a restorative model of punishment. That is, instead of sentencing criminals to harsh prison terms as an example to deter other potential criminals, these countries focus on rehabilitating the criminal so that he or she can reenter society.
Filling in the holes in gun laws is a good first step toward reducing gun trafficking and crimes. But Bloomberg’s coalition and legislators in general have to remember not to get tunnel vision when it comes to the bigger picture of how to ultimately make our country a safer and better place. Society needs laws, but it also needs people who understand why laws should be respected in the first place.