Gun Control or Damage Control?
The first step to gun control in US is additional security.
Introduction
Safety
Instead of the focus being solely on gun control, it should be on gun security. The cause of gun violence depends on who has access to a firearm, whether it be a child, an unlicensed citizen, or an unstable being. The US General Accounting Office, or GAO, states that 100% of child deaths that involve guns could be avoided with child-proof safety locks, or simply the presence of an adult (GAO). With teenagers and adults, this could also apply to suicide. Between 1999 and 2013, there were 270,237 gun-based suicides in the United States, which accounted for about 52% of all suicides during those years (CDC). That is why it is important that firearms do not fall into the wrong hands.
Protection
Prevention
There is another step we can take as a community to protect our citizens. Instead of demonizing the mentally ill, they deserve support and proper treatment. The Prevention Institute states, "while gun ownership has been rising, mental health services across the country have been slashed. We must face this challenge head on, reduce the stigma associated with mental health needs, and support our children, friends, family members and neighbors in seeking-and obtaining-high-quality treatment (Prevention Institute)." If treated in a healthy environment, the urge to use a gun will not be a top priority.