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A strong legal system is the corner stone of any developed society. Enforcing law and order and containing crime is an important task before any government. This has taken on more significance in recent times, what with the escalating crime rates. Assuring good law and order starts with the creation and enforcement of adequate laws and a strong legal system.
Federal Law Enforcement
In the US, the legal system is strong and well developed with laws being created at the federal and state levels. When these laws are adopted by the respective legislative bodies (Congress and state legislatures), they are called statutes. Apart from the legal system (i.e. law, legal provisions and statutes), there is a strong police force in all states and cities in the country. Fedal Law Enforcement is supported by the legal system as well as through courts of law. Courts of law exist at various levels - district courts, state courts and the international Supreme Court. This relation between states and the federal system is complex and involves shared power. The federal government is vested with powers that find specific definition in the Constitution through many of its federal laws. Federal law enforcement is done through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a well-maintained system of police throughout the state, in every US state. There are many areas in the legal systems that create a conflict between the State and Federal government. The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution assigns a legal superiority to the federal government over the state constitution.
Federal Law Enforcement involves the checking of crime and other illegal activities with the aid of the legal system. Criminal cases are discussed in courts of law. The opposing sides in a case are taken up and defended by lawyers. The American legal system allows for the accused in a criminal case to have a lawyer appointed to him for free if he cannot afford one. The verdict in a case is pronounced by a judge in consultation with a panel of juries consisting of well-qualified and/or eminent members. However, you can re-appeal for a case in a higher court of law if you find that the decision arrived at by a lower court of law is not satisfactory. This means that the case can be subject to review again. It is also important that society play an important role in the gun law enforcement. The regular reporting of criminal activities and other suspicious behaviors to police authorities can ensure this. Alert and informed citizens can help a great deal to curb lawlessness.
Handgun Law
It is relatively simple for an adult to purchase a gun in the U.S. Guns can be purchased from dealers who are registered. US citizens are allowed by their constitutional rights to possess a gun according to gun law enforcement. Hence handgun laws limiting the ownership of guns do not really hold. However there are certain states in the US that have passed laws restricting the use and sale of handguns as handgun laws. Awareness about the lack of control over the sale and possession of firearms in the U.S. was brought to public attention during the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Till 1968, handguns, rifles, shotguns and ammunition could be easily purchased through stores and even mail –order catalogs.
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Over the past few years, there have been instances of guns being used by school going children that have resulted in injuries and deaths in schools. If one is declared a convicted felon, it is illegal in most states to own a gun. Many states have made the selling and possession of automatic weapons like M16 and Kalashnikov assault rifles illegal along with other heavy weapons. Small semi-automatic hunting weapons like Armalite do not come under this purview.
National Rifle Association (NRA) is a powerful organization lobbying for the right of the citizens to carry arms. Their underlying motto is -“ Guns don’t kill but people do “. In association with several law enforcement agencies, they conduct training programme on a wide variety of crime prevention and personal safety strategies and devices covering automobile, home, personal and travel security. This does not automatically imply that people have to protect themselves with guns, but it imparts awareness to customized self protection schemes for individuals.
There has been an increasing focus on such ammunition laws in the US because these handgun laws have been misused. The current gun control laws pertaining to the possession of guns encompass the following - right to purchase a gun, permit to hold a gun, licensing of the gun and the registration of gun sellers. The laws concerning Arms and ammunition vary across states. The legal age to own guns is 18. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is an important organization instituted to moderate current gun control laws and to ensure that ammunition is used rightfully. In fact an objective of the NRA is ensure that people have the right to keep and bear arms for lawful reasons.
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