The issue of gun control and violence, both in Canada and the .
United States, is one that simply will not go away. If history is to.
be any guide, no matter what the resolution to the gun control debate .
is, it is probable that the arguments pro and con will be much the .
same as they always have been. In 1977, legislation was passed by the .
Canadian Parliament regulating long guns for the first time, .
restructuring the availability of firearms, and increasing a variety .
of penalties . Canadian firearms law is primarily federal, and .
"therfore national in scope, while the bulk of the firearms regulation .
in the United States is at the state level; attempts to introduce .
stricter leglislation at the federal level are often defeated". .
The importance of this issue is that not all North Americans .
are necessarily supportive of strict gun control as being a feasible.
alternative to controlling urban violence. There are concerns with the .
opponents of gun control, that the professional criminal who wants a .
gun can obtain one, and leaves the average law-abiding citizen .
helpless in defending themselves against the perils of urban life. Is .
it our right to bear arms as North Americans? Or is it privilege? And .
what are the benefits of having strict gun control laws? Through the .
analysis of the writings and reports of academics and experts of gun .
control and urban violence, it will be possible to examine the issues .
and theories of the social impact of this issue.
Part II: Review of the Literature .
A) Summary .
In a paper which looked at gun control and firearms violence .
in North America, Robert J. Mundt, of the University of North .
Carolina, points out that "Crime in America is popularly perceived [in .
Canada] as something to be expected in a society which has less .
respect for the rule of law than does Canadian society." . In 1977, .
the Canadian government took the initiative to legislate stricter gun .
