Modern society faces numerous threats in the workplace, in the home, and elsewhere. Some are mild, while others have life-changing consequences. In this regard, gun crime is a contemporary human rights issue because it’s threatening the right to life. Gun crime is an act of violence that someone commits with a gun, either a firearm or a small arm.
Remember that nothing beats guns when it comes to security in the executive protection industry. Actually, in any industry. In fact, that applies to every aspect of life. Stopping somebody from hurting you by using a gun is the most powerful action you can take. We didn’t say it was the most honorable thing, but the most powerful.
Speaking of power, vile individuals who seek to exert it use the same tools as those who protect principals, officials, and companies. Does this mean that not all guns are created equal? No way! People who use them are undoubtedly responsible for their actions. Whether a weapon is involved or not.
Gun violence is a tremendous problem worldwide. For instance, it is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths and injuries annually only in the United States. CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics reports 13,958 homicides and 24,432 suicides for the year 2018. If that didn’t scare you, please bear with us.
Compared to the US, Mexico is an entirely different story, although with a significantly smaller population. Mexico’s murder rate is almost twice what it was back in 1972. To make the situation worse, criminals are now packing AR-15s, AK-47s, and other weapons of war. Sometimes, local law enforcement is no match for them.
We aren’t making a case for guns or against them but only noticing the current state of affairs.
The Skyrocketing of Gun Crime Worldwide
Although society has a decreasing tendency to engage in wars, we are still killing each other en masse. Just in different ways. Although Mexico’s gun laws are probably among the least permissive, that didn’t prevent cartels and individuals from murdering thousands.
So, where are people obtaining all the guns? One answer is: from the United States of America. As tragic as that sounds, one partaker in violent actions in Mexico has stated that, We kill each other, and you send the bullets. He was referring to Americans who are allegedly smuggling weapons into Mexico.
The only gun store in the country sold only 15,754 firearms in 2018. In stark contrast, tens of thousands of licensed firearms dealers sold around 13,1 million guns in the United States.
Researchers at the University of San Diego claim that people bought more than 750,000 weapons in the US between 2010 and 2012. Individuals and organizations later smuggled them into Mexico.
A sad story with no ending in sight. The divide between lawful behavior and disregard for it is exponentially increasing. The process of obtaining a gun in Mexico is an ordeal in and of itself. According to one report, only 1% of Mexicans possess a license to own a firearm.
The worst of it? Mexican citizens can access firearms illegally but can’t purchase them lawfully for personal protection.
That is, it’s doable if they are willing to battle regulations and institutions for years on end. And even then, there is no guarantee that you can get a concealed-handgun permit. Long story short, gun crime is at an all-time high, and there doesn’t seem to be much we can do about it.
Well, that may not be entirely true.
Combating Gun Crime
When an assassin shot a former state governor in a restaurant bathroom, the Mexican president vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. Whenever high-profile individuals are killed, state authorities promise to end cartel violence. Most times, nothing really happens on the ground.
Conversely, school shootings in the US and other countries are introducing new challenges. The absence of political will to change and invest more in prevention has been negatively affecting the US for decades. The daily death-by-guns claims more than 30,000 lives every year in the US.
It’s apparent that people are dying by the hundreds of thousands. Many innocent children and adults have fallen victim to gun crime.
But what’s the perfect method to deal with this issue? Is there one? The answer isn’t as clear-cut as we wish it to be. Actually, it’s more complicated than assembling a Rubik’s Cube. We don’t mean to downplay the numerous deaths but only to demonstrate its complexity.
For instance, experts say that state regulation could improve the situation worldwide. Well, it hasn’t worked out for Mexico. People are still getting their guns, albeit illegally. The issue with this country may be law enforcement. That is, instead of a few sentences written on a piece of paper, we sometimes refer to as the law.
However, for countries like the US, sensible gun laws and a safety culture could do the trick. What we mean by this is that the state should execute the following actions:
- Reducing firearm access to youth and individuals who are at risk of harming others and themselves,
- Holding the gun industry accountable and ensuring proper oversight over sales of guns and ammunition,
- Insisting on mandatory training and licensing for owners,
- Requiring safe and secure gun storage,
- Involving gun dealers and owners in designing solutions.
Conclusion
We didn’t mean for this article to be an overview of gun crime’s horrific terrors in contemporary times. We wrote it so as to warn of its imminent threats and provide a few resolution ideas.
As we have seen, gun crime is surging in some parts of the world. Although it seems that it’s tiny compared to other continents, dealing with it must be a priority. Governments, law enforcement, companies, and individuals have to find new ways to restrict unchecked gun access.
Living in a safe society is invaluable. Yet, some claim that gun control would limit freedoms. However, nobody can argue that a certain level of control and regulation is of the essence.
In conclusion, training on how to respond in emergencies―like gun crime incidents―is vital. For example, reacting appropriately in an active shooter situation means the difference between coming back home alive or not. Make sure you do the former.
