Can Gun Control Work? Probably Not.

I recently read a blog post a friend forwarded to me. The post text is not nearly as important as the video. In the video, ABC News interviews the author of the book Can Gun Control Work?, Professor James Jacobs from New York University. 

I was very interested in what Prof. Jacobs had to say about gun control. I thought his interview would include more emotion and rhetoric than reasoned discussion. Prof. Jacobs approached the subject rationally, with an open mind when he wrote the book. Of special interest is the fact that he's not a gun owner himself.

His answer to the question? "I think it's not possible to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people." You can tell this is not the answer the hostess wanted to hear. She tries to qualify his answer by talking about "trying" gun control if it will save one life. Prof. Jacobs rightly points out, however, the cost of that law would be more than most of society would be willing to bare. Jacobs states that the number of gun deaths each year (almost 31,000 in 2006*) is the cost we pay for gun ownership.

As an example, Jacobs points to the known statistic of traffic fatalities (over 45,000 in 2006**). If we wanted to save one life, we could definitely enact more traffic laws, or even ban all private cars and make everyone use public transportation. Would these laws save more lives? Yes, undoubtedly. However, whether society would actually be willing to do this is another question. 

This interview happens without even touching on an important point, however, the constitutionality of more gun ownership. The 2nd Amendment gives individuals (i.e., "the people") the right to have guns. Any laws developed have to be balanced against this fundamental right.

*This number includes ALL gun related deaths, including accidents, sucides, homocides and officer involved shootings. Numbers based on information from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

**As indicated by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.