Edited to add: Gun violence is a serious problem in many communities all over America. Modern technology has made its way to weapons and the guns we have today are nothing like what the founders of the United States could have imagined. At the same time, Americans have come to believe that their right to unlimited guns is untouchable. It is definitely a difficult situation with no easy answers for people no matter how they feel about guns and gun violence. This article shows research prepared by Insidegov to discover the states with the most gun violence.
Posted by Palmer Gibbs
After the recent mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon, President Barack Obama made a statement from the White House, rattling off the names of other communities where similar gun violence has occurred. Columbine, Virginia Tech, Ft. Hood, Tucson, Aurora, Sandy Hook, Navy Yard, Isla Vista, Charleston and now Roseburg – all have become familiar touchstones in America’s complex relationship with guns, violence and regulations.
As he has done previously, Obama asserted that the Roseburg shootings meant Congress and state governments need to reexamine laws that deal with gun safety and background checks. Using data from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence and the Brady Campaign, InsideGov looked at how gun laws differ by state.
The two groups, which both advocate for more effective gun laws, rate states on a scale of 0 to 100 according to how stringent their firearm laws are, with 0 being not strict and 100 being the strictest.
As the above map shows, East Coast states tend to have higher scores when it comes to gun laws. Of the top six states with the highest scores for strictness of gun laws, five are along the northeastern part of the country: Connecticut (84), New Jersey (82.5), Maryland (80.5), New York (79.5) and Massachusetts (74.5).
But the highest overall mark goes to California, which clocks in at a score of 89. According to the Law Center, California requires all firearm sales go through a licensed dealer, and people purchasing a gun undergo background checks, a safety certificate process and a written test. The state also limits people from buying more than one handgun per month and keeps records of gun sales.
On the other end of the spectrum, the four states with the lowest scores are Arizona (6), Alaska (7), Wyoming (9) and South Dakota (9.5). Three states – Kansas, Mississippi and Vermont – tie for fifth place, with a score of 10.
On its page detailing Arizona’s gun regulations, the Law Center states that Arizona doesn’t require dealers to have a state license or limit the number of purchases made at one time. The state also allows people to carry a concealed gun in public without a license and allows people to purchase or transfer assault weapons, 50 caliber rifles or large ammunition magazines.
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