Tougher Gun Laws: Can They Stop the Violence?

Newswise — "Do box-cutters, knives, and bombs make people violent?" she asks. "The answer is no. There is no code of the street and no culture of violence. Music and video games are certainly not to blame. Violence is situational. It is embedded in social networks and context. If there is an encounter that is going to lead to violence, the fact that someone can get a hold of a gun, and not only use fists, baseball bats, or a knife, this is what makes the encounter more deadly. Guns do not create the violence, they are tools which make violence brutally and horrifically effective."

Yet, Dr. Kefalas can't help but note the contrast between America and countries with more severe gun laws.

"If you look at nations like Australia, England and Canada, you'll see fewer large-scale rampage shootings and fewer homicides, period," she says. "Given those numbers, one can speculate that our nation's widespread access to guns makes our violence more deadly."