Dillon B. Wisconsin

Federal Gun Control Laws

It's been proven across multiple different states that when these states have stricter and more gun control laws, that there are less gun related deaths. Now that it's been proven, we need to enforce these laws federally across the United States.

Dear Next President

Last year, on October 4th 2015, President Barack Obama addressed gun control in a speech after a mass shooting at a community college in Roseburg, Oregon. He stated that ¨states with the most gun laws tend to have the fewest gun deaths¨ It's been proven across multiple different states that when they have stricter and more gun control laws that there are less gun related deaths. Now that it's been proven, we need to enforce these laws federally across the United States.

In 2013 , the lowest firearm age adjusted death rates were, starting with the lowest, out of 100,000: Hawaii(2.6) , Massachusetts (3.6), New York (4.2) , Connecticut (4.4), and Rhode Island (5.3) . Each of these states had many, very strict gun control laws, hence why they are on this list. On the other hand, the states with the highest age-adjusted death rates were, starting with the lowest, out of 100,000: Arkansas (16.8), Alabama (17.6), Mississippi (17.8), Louisiana (19.3), and Alaska (19.8). These states, have very little, or no gun control laws at all. This is why they are the top 5 leading states of gun deaths related to gun control in America. You can see the correlation between states that have a lot of gun laws and states that don't have as many.

The issue is that because gun control laws are federal, the death rates in states that relate to gun control, have a huge difference. The states that have more laws, such as requiring background checks while purchasing a guns, have a significantly lower death rate then the states that don't have these laws. By making gun control laws federal, it will not only lower gun related deaths nationwide, but it will make America a safer place to live in.

The cause of the many debates going on about these laws being federal and not state is that as the years go by, more people are getting guns, meaning more worry from the government. As there is more people getting guns in America, there needs to be a national law that sets a standard for all of America to keep the people safe.

Gun control has been a very big issue in America. By making gun control laws federal , it will reduce the number of gun related deaths in the U.S. There needs to be someone elected who will make these laws federal. America must unite as one, and enforce gun control laws. 

Wauwatosa West High School

Wauwatosa West American Public Policy

All juniors are enrolled in a required civics and public policy course called American Public Policy. The capstone project is the Issue Investigation - students identify an issue that can be solved by the creation, modification, elimination of a public policy. Student letters are their first research step in the Issue Investigation process.

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