Description
Mass shootings have become more prevalent in the past few decades, especially within the United States. Whilst the United States has suffered from hundreds of mass shootings over the years, policy change relating to guns has been limited in scope, particularly when compared with other developed nations. Recognizing that the United States has a different history and culture, new policies must be undertaken to mitigate the occurrences of mass shootings with the understanding that its response should not be the same as other developed nations.
Examining Gun Regulations, Warning Behaviors, and Policies to Prevent Mass Shootings is a critical reference book that analyzes the debates around and responses to mass shootings with a two-fold focus: the prevention, preparation, response, and recovery of mass shootings and gun proposals raised following these incidents. With a specific look at the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, the author scrutinizes the news media coverage following the incident to document its role in policy discussions, while also examining new policy responses and gun violence prevention actions that have gained traction since the event. Including the voices of those involved in gun violence prevention, as well as interviews with experts in areas dealing with prevention, preparation, and emergency response and recovery, this book centers on forthcoming themes such as licensing systems of firearms, smart gun technologies, assault weapons and weapons bans, and the portrayal of mass shootings in media. This book is essential for policymakers/lawmakers, news media, politicians and government officials, emergency management personnel, academicians, researchers, and students.
Reviews and Testimonials
"This book is a critical examination of mass shootings in the United States, specifically focusing on debates and responses in the aftermath of high-profile incidents. The author was inspired to carry out this research after a mass shooting occurred in her home country of Scotland. A snapshot into the news media coverage and policy responses is provided using the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting as a case study. Also discussed in this book are the following: warning signs prior to mass shootings and how to risk and threat assess potential mass shooters; emergency management procedures to prepare for, respond and recover from incidents; gun policy proposals that may prevent or reduce harm in shooting situations. Interview results with experts in gun violence prevention activism, emergency management, risk and threat assessment provide greater insight into these fields. This piece of work will be of interest to policymakers, those working in emergency management and threat assessment, gun violence prevention activists, academics, researchers and students."
– Selina E.M. Kerr, Independent Researcher, UK
Author's/Editor's Biography
Selina Kerr
Selina E. M. Kerr, Ph.D., is a criminologist and researcher working in the United Kingdom. She has recently published a book exploring the gun-related policy responses to school shootings in the United States. Other research areas of interest include solutions to reduce gun violence, threat assessment, emergency management and communication procedures during active shooter incidents and representations of violence in television shows.