Private party gun sales such as gun shows, as pictured here are a convenient source of weapons for criminals. new england journal of medicine researchers wintemute, braga, and kennedy 2011 stated ldquo in 2007, a total number of 12,632 people in the united states were murdered with firearms, and it is estimated that another 48,676 were treated in hospitals for gunshot wounds received in assaults. Rdquo one of the main reasons that numbers associated with gun violence are so high is because guns are falling into the hands of people who should not have them. If we can prevent criminals from acquiring guns, we can drastically reduce gun violence. If someone wishes to buy a gun in the united states, he or she will do so in one of two ways.

The first method is through a federally licensed dealer all sales through a licensed dealer are regulated by the government. They are completely unregulated and undocumented because they can be anonymous and undocumented private party sales are the obvious choice for criminals. 2011 reported, ldquo some 85% of all guns used in crimes and then recovered by law enforcement agencies have been sold at least once by private parties. Rdquo this statistic shows that all gun sales should be required to go through a licensed dealer because private sales are unregulated, and they do not require background checks, which is why private sales provide easy access to guns for criminals. Unlike sales through a licensed dealer, private party sales are completely unregulated or monitored, which allows anyone to quickly stockpile a vast supply of weapons. If a buyer wishes to purchase a gun from a federally licensed retailer, he or she is required to complete several processes that record the sale of the gun.

After that, a lengthy form must be filled out the purpose of this form is to verify that the purchaser is buying the gun for himself and not for someone else wintemute et al. Every purchase that is made from a licensed dealer is recorded, and every gun that is sold has a recorded purchaser. That purchaser is responsible for the use of the gun, and if a gun is used in a crime, the owner of the gun can be traced.

Also, this process of documentation can alert the government of suspicious activity, such as frequent purchases. 2011 have noted, ldquo if you buy more than one handgun from a retailer within 5 business days, the retailer must report the details of your purchase to the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives atf. Rdquo large or unusual gun purchases, such as multiple purchases in a short period of time, will be flagged this may result in a brief investigation to ensure that illegal activities are not being planned or taking place. On the other hand, a private party gun sale is completely undocumented, and it often consists of nothing more than an exchange and a handshake. No one would ever notice if an individual was building an arsenal of guns or planning to commit a crime, therefore sales through a licensed dealer serve as a safety measure that private sales avoid.

Private party gun sales do not require background checks, which allow anyone, regardless of his or her past, to purchase a gun. The right to bear arms is a constitutional right, but there are individuals who should not be permitted to own a gun. When compared to other nations, the united states rsquo gun crime rate is much higher than average this is due to the vast amount of guns that are available. Researcher fareed 2012 stated, ldquo there are 88.8 firearms per 100 people in the u.s.

In second place is yemen, with 54.8, then switzerland with 45.7 and finland with 45.3. Rdquo we know that guns are readily available, and that is not going to change, but we need to prevent guns from being sold to criminals or at least make it more difficult for them to obtain guns. Researcher van houten 2011 pointed out, ldquo under federal law, a prospective purchaser only hasto undergo a background check when buying a gun from a licensed dealer.