Smart Guns Research Paper

Many accidental deaths have occurred in the United States because of guns; however, guns might not be as big of a problem if they only had a way to identify the owner of the gun. The idea of smart guns has been around since the 1900s according to Aliana Selyukh, who is a reporter for National Public Radio. Ever since the first smart gun, there have been many improvements, by many different people, in the ways the gun can identify the owner. A smart gun is a gun that is able to identify its gun owner with technology. There is not only one way a smart gun can identify a person but various ways such as the owners’ grip, the owners’ fingerprint, also a wristband with a tag, or even inserting a tag under someone’s skin. Five hundred and eighty-three
There are many ways an accidental death can occur; however, guns are the simplest way an accidental death can occur. Even though smart guns won’t prevent all accidental deaths Josh Sugarmann, executive director of the Violence Center, suggests that “a few of the more than 30,000 annual gun deaths could be prevented by smart guns” (qtd. In Bobkoff). Even though smart guns won’t prevent all deaths, one more prevented death is better than none. According to Rose, “Horowitz isn’t saying smart guns would stop every mass shooting, but he does think they would cut down on accidents and suicides” (qtd. In Rose). It could prevent accidental deaths such as the one that Kimi Reylander, a 9-year-old girl, suffered (Terrence Mcoy). Kimi’s 4-year old brother, Jaxon, accidentally shot her after “Joel Watson, the great-grandfather” left out his gun (Terrence Mcoy). According to Teret at John Hopkins “firearm accidents have indeed been declining and smart guns aren’t a panacea to gun violence.” Even though smart guns will not prevent all accidental deaths, a death such as Kimi Reylander’s can be prevented. Dan Bobkoff believes smart guns “might not prevent all violence, proponents say, but smart gun technology is like a seat belt – it makes guns safer.” I agree with Bobkoff’s opinion because it’s better to be safe rather than being worried of being
However, I believe smart guns should be sold on the market because smart guns can be safer than regular guns. This is because smart guns have many ways for detecting the owner of the gun “for instance by recognizing the fingerprint, the grip or a RFID chip – and stop working if held by the wrong hands,” according to Aliana Selyukh. There were 3,260 teens and children killed or injured this year alone (Gun Violence Archive). According to Healy, Bosman, Blinder, and Turkewitz, Sha’Quille Kornegay, a two-year-old, accidentally killed herself after discovering a “9-millimeter handgun” her father “kept under his pillow” at times. In Kornegay’s death could have been prevented if only her father’s gun was a smart gun. If it was a smart gun that Kornegay would have grabbed, the gun wouldn’t have shot because the gun wouldn’t have recognized her since it was her father’s gun. Accidents such as the one Kornegay suffered can be prevented by a smart gun because of the smart technology which is why I think smart guns should be sold on the market. Smart guns can not only make people feel safer but can also prevent many accidental deaths. If there was even some chance of minimizing accidental deaths and making our country a safer place, it would be better to give smart guns a chance rather than not doing so and never finding out if America could