Problem

Inadequate firearm regulation

Other Names:
Lack of gun laws
Nature:

Offences of violence involving firearms are rising faster than violent crime rates themselves. The principal concern is with concealable hand-guns which may be carried illegally on the person, and with the uncontrolled purchase of such weapons, frequently on a one-time basis per individual. However, the same inadequate controls allow firearms to be sold in quantities, and in some countries, permit sales to unidentified persons of automatic weapons, explosives and other arms.

Incidence:

30,000 people die from gunfire each year in the USA. A typical year in the USA will see 52% of murders committed with a handgun, with rifles or shotguns accounting for another 13%. Only 35% of homicides are committed without firearms. One in ten deaths of children aged 1 to 20 in the USA are due to firearms. There are 25 million pistols and revolvers in the US. About 2 million new weapons of this type are placed in the US market each year.

Broader Problems:
Inadequate laws
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
GOAL 10: Reduced InequalityGOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Problem Type:
D: Detailed problems
Date of last update
04.10.2020 – 22:48 CEST