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Mental Health And Gun Violence Essay

1103 Words5 Pages

Mental health and gun violence are two of the most pressing issues facing our society today, and their intersection is a topic that demands our urgent attention. Mental health and gun violence are two complex issues that are often linked in public debate. While many factors contribute to gun violence, mental health is often cited as a key factor. However, the relationship between mental illness and gun violence is not straightforward, and there are many challenges to implementing effective policies in this area.After examining the statistics of mental health and gun violence, it is clear that stricter background checks should be performed for someone who wants to purchase a firearm.

Mental health has been identified as a potential factor …show more content…

Everytown Research & Policy is a nonprofit organization that conducts research and advocates for policies to prevent gun violence. According to Everytown Research & Policy, "Background checks are the foundation of any comprehensive gun violence prevention strategy. Current federal law requires that background checks be conducted whenever a person attempts to buy a gun from a licensed gun dealer. This is to ensure that the buyer is not legally prohibited from having the gun." Some people may argue that the potential benefits of implementing background checks, such as reducing the incidence of firearm violence and promoting public safety, outweigh any concerns about government overreach or infringement on Second Amendment rights. In short, background checks are a solution to preventing gun violence by ensuring that firearms do not end up in the hands of those who are legally prohibited from owning …show more content…

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a nonprofit organization that provides support to individuals and families affected by mental illness. NAMI is dedicated to improving the lives of people living with mental illness by providing education, advocacy, and support. Here is a quote from NAMI that highlights their stance on mental health care and firearms. "NAMI believes that people with mental illness should have access to the mental health care they need to help them recover and pursue their life goals, including the opportunity to participate in decisions about their treatment. At the same time, NAMI believes that people with mental illness who are at risk of harming themselves or others should not have access to firearms." The quote from NAMI highlights that people with mental illness who are at risk of harming themselves or others should not have access to firearms. This is why furthering mental health checks before being able to buy a gun is important, as it can help prevent individuals who are at risk of harming themselves or others from acquiring

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Everywhere in the United States that sells guns should participate in better background checks, and better mental health checks. If someone shows any sign of a mental illness that could potentially make them owning a gun a threat to people around them, then they shouldn’t get the chance to own a weapon. On the other hand, it would be very hard to tell if someone has a mental illness because everything that comes out of their mouth could be a lie. The only thing as of right now that could prevent someone with a mental illness from buying a gun is if they have records of needing help with their illness. “Under federal law, a person can be tallied in a database and barred from purchasing or possessing a firearm due to a mental illness under two conditions: if he is involuntarily committed to a mental hospital, or if a court or government body declares him mentally incompetent”

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1115 Words | 5 Pages

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