Revoking Gun Ownership Rights for People with a Criminal Record
The policy aims at eliminating gun ownership among people with a criminal record. Criminals often use guns to commit various crimes, including theft and murder. In most instances, people with a criminal record engage in gun violence. According to Koper (2013), gun owners with prior criminal convictions are at a high risk of future criminal activity, including gun-related crimes. Therefore, it is vital to revoke gun ownership for people with a criminal record despite their offenses. The policy will include conducting a background check on all gun owners to determine whether they have a criminal record and issuing a letter to all gun owners with a criminal record to surrender their guns to law enforcement officers in the community.
The Overarching Theory That is Guiding the Creation of the Policy
The control theory guides the creation of the policy. The theory posits that people have desires and needs more easily satisfied through crime than legal means. Based on this theory, it can be argued that people with a criminal record love committing crimes and, therefore, use their guns to satisfy this desire. Guns give them the power to commit crimes such as armed robbery because they are in control of the situation and their victims, which is why the only effective way to ensure that they do not engage in crime is to take away that power.
The Anticipated Benefits
One of the anticipated benefits of the policy is a reduced crime rate because criminals will not have guns to intimidate their victims and commit crimes. For instance, homicide and armed robbery will be reduced, increasing the community’s safety. The second benefit is reduced societal costs linked to gun violence. A study conducted by Procon (2020) indicated that the increase in the number of people shot in a community generates high hospital and emergency room charges, hence increasing the cost of healthcare. Gun violence may also increase the costs incurred in legal services, private security, foster care, psychological care, and incarceration. An increase in homicide rates is also associated with a decline in the value of property in the community.
A Comparison of the Benefits and Disadvantages of the Proposed Policy
The main benefits of revoking gun ownership rights for people with a criminal record revolve around increasing security in the community, reducing the cost of essential services such as medical care, and maintaining a good value for the property in the community. The main disadvantage is the increase in illegal guns. People who cannot legally own guns because of their criminal record may turn to the black market to purchase firearms, thus increasing the sale of illegal guns. Another disadvantage is that it may create tension between criminals and law enforcement officers, increasing gun-related crimes.
Implementation Plan
Law enforcement officers will conduct a background check on all current gun owners to determine those with a criminal record. The officers will then issue a written request to the gun owners with a criminal record to inform them that they should surrender their guns to the nearest police station. The law enforcement officers will follow up on the request by calling the gun owner to confirm that they received it and inquire when they intend to surrender the gun. If the gun owner does not respond to the request, the law enforcement officers will visit their premises with a search warrant and confiscate the gun. Law enforcement officers will also collaborate with the agency that authorizes gun ownership licenses to conduct a thorough background check on every applicant needing a gun permit.
References
Koper, C. S. (2013). Crime gun risk factors: Buyer, seller, firearm, and transaction characteristics associated with gun trafficking and criminal use. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 30(2), 285-315. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10940-013-9204-3
Procon. (2020, August 7). Gun Control. https://gun-control.procon.org/
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Question 
Your supervisor informs you that each criminal justice agency in your community must develop a new crime-fighting strategy for the coming fiscal year based on a crime causation explanation to be presented to the city council for funding your department. Prepare a summary of a policy linked to a theory that you would propose.
Revoking Gun Ownership Rights for People with a Criminal Record
In your response, please address the following:
The purpose of the policy
The theory guiding your policy
Anticipated Benefits
Benefits and disadvantages of your policy
The implementation plan