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Age Restriction Policy and Its Effects on Gun Control in the U.S.
Over the years, there has been a growing concern over firearm regulations within the U.S.
There is a varying disposition when it comes to gun control regulations and policies in terms of
safety. One of the biggest debates in current times is the question of whether limiting gun
restrictions are causing more underlying issues to society than safety. Many believe that
limitation policies for purchasing firearms are detrimental to the Second Amendment, and a
citizen’s right to bear arms. Citizens believe that restrictions on firearms take away that civil
right to protect oneself. However, others believe that limitations and restrictions on firearm
purchases are necessary for the safety of citizens. While limitations to gun policies in the U.S.,
and restrictions on who can purchase those firearms, may hinder the practice of the Second
Amendment, certain implications of those restrictions are important for the safety of citizens. In
concerns of safety for society, a prominent regulation of restrictions that should be implemented
to gun policies in the U.S is the age at which firearms can be accessed or purchased, which
would allow for more safety and less deaths caused by firearms. It is important for citizens to be
able to protect themselves, but taking into account the drastic numbers of deaths influenced by
firearms, it is a no-brainer that changes are needed to encourage the ideal of a safer world. A
huge factor in the amount of deaths contributed by gun violence within the past five to ten years
have increased drastically. A general cause for this has been the amount of access to firearms
that U.S citizens have been able to obtain.There have been arguments that stricter gun control
measures will ultimately result in safer environments.With the growing concerns for public
safety due to an increase in mass shootings, there has been an outcry for better policies against
gun control. Of those mass shootings, many of them have been youth involved. Around the
world, there has become a spread of gun violence in the hands of children and young adults. A
study implements the concerns of current mass shootings in comparison to the age group stating,
“Our research shows that mass shootings — have become more frequent, and deadly, over time.
Before these latest attacks, mass shooters were also getting younger overall. Since 2020, the
median age of mass shooters has come down to just 22 years old — …amid the disruption of a
global war pandemic.” There is a global crisis on the use of firearms amongst the youth. This
statement qualifies the focus on age in requirements to gun control and restrictions. With that in
mind, the target reform should focus around the discrepancy in age and the suspects of said mass
shootings. Following the debate of age in regards to firearm incidents, there should be a focus on
the underlying causes and history of crime involving firearms, in regards to the early
psychological effects brought upon the youth. The encouragement of firearm use is a point to
intake when considering the increase of youth influenced incidents involving a gun. Minority
populations have higher youth involved mass shootings than any other world in the population.
However, the age required to be able to purchase a gun is only eighteen in most of the United
States. Research shows that, “A robust body of academic literature shows that the human brain
continues to develop well past the age of 21, particularly in areas that may alter a person’s
likelihood of involvement in violence against themselves or others.” (Arain, Mariam, et al.
“Maturation of the Adolescent Brain”) The evidence emphasizes the lack of psychological
control one has while the mind is still developing, which could lead to irrational decisions. This
is important to note when addressing the current age restriction policy in many states. Increasing
the age in which firearms may be purchased will likely cause a decrease in the amount of mass
shootings and youth suspects because there will be more responsibility in regards to who has
possession of a firearm. This will also decrease the amount of incidents due to firearms, being
that more young adults and teens have had more accidents or crimes with firearms than any other
age group in the U.S. Since the brain continuously develops past the age of twenty-one, it is
possible to conclude that even twenty-one is a reach when it comes to who can have access to the
purchase of firearms. Young adults and teens are more prone to incidents and deaths to irrational
decision-making, resulting from the indecisiveness of a still developing brain. The government
should take this into account when creating policies that benefit gun control. In a study regarding
the maturation of the human brain, researchers informed, “The developing brains of adolescents
and young adults may put them at higher risk of making risky decisions. Hormonal changes can
have significant effects on self-control, decision making, emotions, risk-taking behaviors, and
aggressive impulses.” (Arain, Mariam, et al. “Maturation of the Adolescent Brain”) With
firearms being highly accessible for young adults, freshly entering adulthood, it is viable to
acknowledge hormonal changes and psychological endeavors that contribute to the safety of
oneself and society. Allowing the purchase of firearms to young adults has caused more harm to
society than protection for the second amendment. Another account to consider is the
socioeconomic factors of youth and gun violence. There are more crimes or accidents in
congruence with firearms, in urban areas. Places where there is more poverty there is more
crime. The psychological effect on the youth, in retrospect to the crime that surrounds the
adolescent coming-of-age, is a notable consideration when viewing the lack of access to
psychological help that adolescents will likely receive before they are allowed to purchase a
firearm. An example of the abuse of access to firearms in congruence with gun control, is the
increased youth crime rate in a poverty driven community, Memphis,TN. A Channel 5 News
report pertaining the youth and crime of Memphis, TN reports, “if Memphis’ youth poverty rate
doesn’t decrease, we can expect the crime rate to continue to go up. Fisher says elected officials
must implement policies and programs to help Black Memphis youth have access to the
resources they need.” While the evidence provided is to support my argument of firearm crime
and the youth , it is a shedded light on the impact that the current age restriction policy has on the
poverty driven economies. There are certain critiques towards the limitations of age restrictions,
in regards to how citizens will be able to protect themselves without firearms.This article
expresses the need for government trust within a society in order for an increase in gun control.
The authors address the claims that with the decrease of trust within a government comes more
need for firearms. In a scholarly article focusing on citizens and their trust in the government, It
is stated that “the increase of firearms in the United States has resulted in large sums from the
distrust of the government,” emphasizing a more political approach of evidence. This article
supports the argument that limiting access to firearms will prevent citizens from protecting
themselves. However, the need or desire for firearms amongst U.S households stem from the
distrust in the government’s protection. If society is able to trust the government, there will be
less reasons for citizens to feel fear of an increased age limit restriction, in regards to the
purchase of firearms. This article emphasizes the impact of gun control and increasing
incarceration amongst American citizens. The article raises awareness towards the criminal legal
system , its impact on society, and possible endeavors that could help reduce incarceration and
gun violence . The article emphasizes the easy access to firearms and the punitive punishments
of incarceration and sentencing placed upon due to gun violence. The article supports my claims
of the need to increase the age limit of gun accessibility, while also supporting my claims of the
contradictory of the accessible age limit in congruence with the punishment of crime involving
the firearm. There are limits to the focus of higher age restrictions in concerns of equalness and
constitutional rights, however. It is understood that the Second Amendment gives the right to all
legal citizens to carry firearms, which is in many states, eighteen. It is also understood that if the
age to acquire a firearm is raised to twenty-five, many citizens may feel fear of being self
protected. However, as U.S. citizens and democracy, it is important to protect one another, rather
than fear one another. While the constitutional right of the Second Amendment is to bear arms
and protect oneself, if adults twenty-five and older were able to purchase firearms, there would
be less crime and less worries about irrational decision making in the hands of someone’s life
and a bullet. In a New York Time’s report following the current mass shootings of the U.S, a
researcher announces,“What separates the older mass shooters from those in their 20s and 30s is
that the younger shooters typically study previous mass shooters for inspiration and validation.
Younger shooters also tend to communicate intent to do harm in advance.” The statistics of the
age groups and gun violence address the situation at hand, which is the debate that twenty five is
a reasonable age for the purchase of firearms. It is seen in the light of the consequences when
adolescents are in the hands of the forearm and have to make that right decision. The
psychological point of view leads to the conclusion that if gun control restrictions were increased
to a higher age globally, there would be room for safer tactics, and better gun control. There
should be no need for firearm use, especially if there is less access to those who may face
indecisiveness when making decisions in the hands of a firearm.
Works Cited
Works Cited
Arain, Mariam, et al. “Maturation of the Adolescent Brain.” Neuropsychiatric Disease
and Treatment, vol. 9, no. 9, 3 Apr. 2013, pp. 449–461,
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3621648/, https://doi.org/10.2147/ndt.s39776.
Haywood, Tarvarious. “Experts Say Poverty Contributes to Rise in Youth Crime in
Memphis.” Www.actionnews5.com, 23 June 2023,
www.actionnews5.com/2023/06/23/experts-say-poverty-contributes-rise-youth-crimememphis/?outputType=amp. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.
Poindexter, Kathleen. “A Call to Action beyond Thoughts and Prayers.” Nursing
Education Perspectives, vol. 44, no. 3, 2023, p. 137,
journals.lww.com/neponline/Fulltext/2023/05000/A_Call_to_Action_Beyond_Thoughts_
and_Prayers.1.aspx, https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000001131. Accessed 14
Sept. 2023.
Ryan, John Barry, et al. “When Trust Matters: The Case of Gun Control.” Political
Behavior, vol. 44, no. 2, 8 July 2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-020-09633-2.
Schwartz, Noah S. “AIMING for SUCCESS.” World Affairs, 19 June 2022, p.
004382002211074, https://doi.org/10.1177/00438200221107412.
Thrush, Glenn, and Matt Richtel. “A Disturbing New Pattern in Mass Shootings: Young
Assailants.” The New York Times, 2 June 2022,
www.nytimes.com/2022/06/02/us/politics/mass-shootings-young-men-guns.html.
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