Shots in the Dark: The Policy, Politics and Symbolism of Gun Control

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Starting with Columbine, school shootings have brought the issue of gun control to the forefront of the American consciousness. Why it won't rise to the top of the political agenda is an important part of the story that Will Vizzard tells. Drawing on Congressional hearings, interviews, thirty years of research, and personal experience as a special agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the author takes a step back from both advocates and opponents of gun control to survey the U.S. gun landscape. What he finds there is a scene dominated by policy and public opinion extremism as well as a powerful combination of history and symbolism that impede the resolution of this conflict. Neither a call for gun prohibition nor a diatribe against gun control, this book is intended for those with a particular interest in firearms as well as serious students of public policy and criminal justice. In addition to covering a century of gun control policy, the author addresses such current issues as assault weapons, right-to-carry and concealed-carry laws, school shootings, and recent elections. Unlike its several counterparts, SHOTS IN THE DARK sheds light on a balanced and pragmatic approach to gun control legislation.

Author Biography: William J. Vizzard is associate professor of criminal justice at California State University, Sacramento, and a former agent, supervisor, and Special Agent in Charge in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Gun control has become an increasingly polarized issue in the United States during the past few decades--and that's unlikely to change in the near future, according to this academic review of the subject by a former agent for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. After an examination of the scholarly research on the subject, Vizzard, now an associate professor of criminal justice at California State University-Sacramento, traces the evolution of the issue in the 20th century, including New York State's 1911 Sullivan Law, which required a police permit to possess a handgun, the 1938 Federal Firearms Act and the 1968 Gun Control Act--all of which were watered down by the NRA. (One thing that's missing in this study is an exploration of why the gun ownership movement is so much stronger in the U.S. than elsewhere in the world.) The author's proposals for reaching what he believes is a much-needed compromise on the issue are limited. They include increasing fees and penalties on dealers, tightening licensing restrictions on prospective purchasers and strengthening laws against repeat gun offenders. As he puts it, "There's little reason to assume that any outcome from research would alter the public's awareness of or characterization of the issue adequately so as to alter the political situation." In the wake of such highly publicized incidents as last year's shooting at Columbine High School and given the presidential debate on gun control, Vizzard may get some media attention for his findings, but the writing is far too scholarly for general readers. (The books to read this season on the subject are Michael Bellesiles's Arming America; see Forecasts, July 24; and, due in November, Oxford University Press's Gun Violence: The Real Costs by Philip J Cook and Jens Ludwig.) (Oct.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Vizzard (criminal justice, California State Univ., Sacramento), formerly of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, is no stranger to the controversial topic of gun control. His well-written text opens with a detailed background of the issues surrounding gun control, specifically those addressing the intellectual and cultural paradigms necessary to understand the structure and formation of public policy. Constitutional rights, interest groups, school shootings, and the use of guns for self-defense are only a few of the pressing issues covered. The author chronicles the evolution of gun policy from the early 1900s to the Brady Bill and concludes by tackling what could be done to achieve gun control and why it won't be. The book's premise--that without compromise, the gun control issue will remain at a deadlock--remains strong throughout. Overall, Vizzard presents the reader with a comprehensive political and legislative history of gun control issues while offering realistic insight into the future of gun control policy. Both the public library patron and academic researcher have much to gain from this text.--Laura M. Wight, South Dakota State Univ. Lib., Brookings Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

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