Principles of Public Policy Briefings Essay

Principles of Public Policy Briefings

Write a 3 page policy brief in which you will:
Demonstrate that you have a basic understanding of the principles of public policy briefings.
Use the week’s readings and video about writing a public policy brief as your references for this assignment.
Use the structural elements of policy writing to compose a 3 page policy brief that applies to a local, state or federal issue.
Gun violence is on the minds of many Americans. Using the key structural elements (for example, background checks are needed), encourage politicians to work with interests group to formulate the language and set the agenda. Then mobilize support in and outside Congress to advocate for tougher background check requirements. Next, propose the policy options stage and find a government agency (Department of Justice) to implement new rules for background checks, evaluating the effectiveness of the new policy and suggesting improvements if necessary.
Your assignment must follow these content and formatting requirements:
Integrate policy concepts to demonstrate your analytical insights from the readings and your own research with evidence to support remarks about policy issues and problems.
Demonstrate a full understanding of the public policy concepts and show that your application is relevant and aligns with the learning outcomes.
Develop your brief in a cohesive manner, with a logical flow of public policy information from one topic to the next; ensure evidence from resources supports your ideas and topics.
Ensure your writing demonstrates an understanding of the relationship among materials regarding public policy obtained from all sources.
Develop a brief that shows focus on the topic, and create a thoughtful presentation using the thesis statement to provide the focus of the paper with enough scope for an in-depth discussion of the public policy concepts and application.
Ensure the thesis statement indicates the position taken by the author in the paper, and there is strong evidence to support the public policy position.
Developed a brief that shows expert use of the examples for public policy writing.
Appropriately incorporate at least two quality sources. A quality source can be either grey literature, such as a news article, or scholarly, such as peer-reviewed/professional industry references. In the case of public administration, government or nonprofit websites are appropriate quality resources.
Wikipedia, SparkNotes, and similar websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Solution – Principles of Public Policy Briefings Assignment

Strengthening Federal Background Check Requirements: A Path to Preventing Gun Violence

Gun violence is a major concern for public safety in the United States that continues to claim many lives. The public has raised concerns about issues in the current background check system and gun violence, which has led to this growing threat (Reeping et al., 2019). These weaknesses have enabled those who are a threat to society to get access to firearms, thus increasing the incidence of gun violence. The federal government should expand and toughen background check requirements for purchasing firearms to ensure that dangerous people do not get access to guns and ensure responsible gun ownership to prevent gun violence.

Background

Over the past years, gun-related killings in America have reached very high rates. It has become the main cause of preventable deaths, and over 40000 deaths a year are linked to firearms and firearm injuries (Alfonseca, 2023). They have also resulted in an increase in mass shootings that demonstrate how inadequate background check procedures allow dangerous individuals to acquire guns and kill more people. In their study, Reeping et al. (2019) found that states with permissive gun laws and high gun ownership had higher rates of mass shootings than states with restrictive laws. Gun laws regulating gun ownership in different states were found to have a direct correlation with the levels of gun assault and mass shootings.

Current Policy

Federal law requires that licensed firearms dealers conduct background checks through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)before selling firearms. This exempts certain individuals from purchasing firearms, including individuals under 18 years, those with criminal histories, mental health issues, restraining orders, or those who are a danger to themselves and others (Krouse, 2019).

However, there are various loopholes with this policy that allow individuals to still acquire guns without passing the background check requirements. For example, unlicensed sellers selling firearms online, in private sales, at gun shows, or across states can sell firearms without conducting checks.

Policy Options

To address these gas in the current regulations, other policies that may be considered include:

Universal background checks will eliminate the gap in private gun sales by requiring unlicensed sellers to conduct background checks before selling firearms, preventing high-risk individuals likely to commit violence from purchasing guns (Krouse, 2019).

Implementing mandatory waiting periods before acquiring a firearm delays immediate access to firearms. This allows people likely to commit gun violence or suicide based on impulses or temporary emotions a cooling off period and prevent impulsive acts while also providing enough time to complete background checks (Kagawa et al., 2023).

Implementing stronger red flag laws or extreme risk protection orders can allow the temporary removal of firearms from individuals who pose a threat or show signs of harming themselves or others. In gun violence cases and suicides, family members often observe the individuals exhibiting warning signs that they are experiencing mental health challenges, or some confess their intent to commit violence. Therefore, family or law enforcement can request the removal of firearms from such individuals, preventing mass shootings and other gun-related incidents.

With unlicensed sellers being the main source of guns for prohibited individuals, universal background checks would ensure that everyone purchasing firearms meets the criteria, making it harder for firearms to fall into the wrong hands.

Policy Recommendations

Policymakers should collaborate with interest groups, including both pro-gun control and pro-gun rights groups, to obtain their collective support for tougher background check requirements. An effective approach would involve working with gun rights advocacy organizations like the National Rifle Association and gun control organizations like Everytown for Gun Safety. Concerns about the second amendment rights can be addressed by emphasizing that universal background checks are easy, convenient, and processed very fast which would not impose a significant burden on law-abiding citizens intending to purchase firearms.

Mobilizing support from congressional leaders, especially committees like the Judiciary Committee and Committee on Oversight and Accountability, is critical is passing the policy. This can be achieved through public hearings and by providing lawmakers with data and expert testimony on the effectiveness of background checks in preventing gun violence. Additionally, launching public campaigns through advocacy groups can increase support from the public. This may include educating the public to raise awareness about the loopholes in the current legislation and how finding solutions to close these gaps could be effective in reducing gun violence (Kagawa et al., 2023).

Policy Implementation

The Department of Justice (DOJ) would be ideal for implementing regulations for strict background checks as it already oversees the NICS, which can then include additional requirements for universal background checks for unlicensed firearm sellers. The DOJ can allocate funding to state and local governments to help enforce additional requirements and speed up the process of conducting background checks.

The effectiveness of this policy can be evaluated by conducting reports of background checks conducted, the number of firearms sold, as well as those denied to prohibited individuals, and gun-related crimes prevented by the policy. Regularly auditing the background check system can ensure that it is effective in preventing firearm sales to prohibited individuals and identify areas of improvement.

Conclusion

Stronger background check requirements are important in addressing gun violence in the US. By closing the private sale loophole and enforcing stricter requirements, the U.S. can prevent dangerous individuals from accessing firearms. With the DOJ’s oversight, collaboration with interest groups, and broad public support, this policy can significantly improve public safety and prevent further gun-related incidents.

References

Alfonseca, K. (2023, December 7). More than 40,000 people have been killed in gun violence so far in 2023. abc news.

Kagawa, R., Charbonneau, A., McCort, C., McCourt, A., Vernick, J., Webster, D., & Wintemute, G. (2023). Effects of Comprehensive Background-Check Policies on Firearm Fatalities in 4 States. American journal of epidemiology, 192(4), 539-548.

Krouse, W. J. (2019, October 17). Gun Control: National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Operations and Related Legislation. Congressional Research Service.

Reeping, P. M., Cerdá, M., Kalesan, B., Wiebe, D. J., Galea, S., & Branas, C. C. (2019). State gun laws, gun ownership, and mass shootings in the US: cross sectional time series. bmj, 364.