The events that have occurred in recent weeks, months and years have once again brought the issue of gun ownership, violence and the need before it is forgotten to the table for a short time . One of the issues that has been brought to the forefront once again is whether those suffering from mental illness should be allowed to purchase firearms. One of the biggest debates regarding this issue is whether people with mental instability have the same rights as all Americans, the right to keep and bear arms; Supporters of the recent reduction in gun restrictions on the mentally ill cite this issue adamantly. Opponents of gun ownership by those suffering from mental illness cite the violent tendencies and lack of remorse for human life as seen in psychopaths and other illnesses. This document aims to argue that although limiting gun ownership by the mentally ill may be helpful in reducing cases of violent crime, it would be difficult to enforce and would violate several laws. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay One of the biggest criticisms the Trump administration faced after the deadly shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada was the early 2017 implementation of HJ Res. 40 which rescinded the Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 (United States. Congress). The implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 required the Social Security Administration and other federal agencies to provide records of people with mental disabilities to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS for short (United States.Social Security). The NICS serves as a tool for firearms dealers and the FBI to quickly identify whether the customer has a criminal or other illegitimate record that limits his or her ability to purchase a firearm (“National”). Since its implementation in November 1998, over 230 million checks have been made resulting in 1.3 million purchase refusals (“Domestic”). A clear majority of Americans are in favor of background checks for all gun buyers, with the results of numerous polls showing the average to be around 90% (Kertscher). The restrictions that are part of the NICS serve as a thorough and foolproof way to screen people and save lives by allowing relatively educated and responsible Americans to purchase firearms while keeping them away from those who people believe may seek to do harm. The central issue in the gun debate over mental illness is whether people with mental illnesses have the same rights as other Americans. Many reforms were proposed after the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, including mental health background checks for all gun sales [including the gun show loophole], updates to the national mental health background check system, and a increase in reported patient mental health problems (Kangas and Calvert). The goal of background checks from the beginning was to identify people who had been involuntarily subjected to psychiatric treatment or who had been identified by the courts as mentally incompetent, but the state of Florida went further and passed a background check law gun control that required both voluntary and involuntary mental behaviors. health treatments worth mentioning (Kangas and Calvert). Laws like this can be very controversial, some issues can include discrimination and doctor-patient confidentiality..
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